Kill the Dead, Fear the Living
by princessmikey14
Summary: The prison goup has welcomed the members of Woodbury into their home. Everything runs as smoothly as it can with the threat of the Governor's return looming over their soulders. Post Season 3 (of my own creation). MUST READ KEEPIN' SECRETS FIRST. Daryl/OC
1. Chapter 1

**AN: WELCOME TO THE SEQUEL! I'm excited to begin writing this. If you haven't read the first part "Keeping Secrets" go leave and do that now! Lol. Okay, so everyone else, I'm so glad that you're reading my story. I love reviews, so please feel free to leave me one (seriously). This chapter will be shorter than some of the other chapters in the last installment. **

"Not much further now," Marie stated, folding the map up and putting it back into the glove box. She was glad that they were doing this; they hadn't been alone much lately. She'd spent a lot of her days teaching Judd and a few others to properly use a weapon.

"Told ya we didn't need that damn thing," Daryl replied.

"Right, 'cause you've got your own map," she rolled her eyes.

"Damn straight." A playful glint shone in his blue eyes and his brunette counterpart laughed.

"So, you never did tell me how old you are," she said, thinking back to the last time they were in a truck alone together. They were headed to the CDC if she recalled correctly.

"Why's it matter?"

"I don't know…I'm just curious…"

"What if I said I was fifty?"

"Then I'd be in love with an old man," she shrugged. "It doesn't really matter, but I don't even know your birthday…Isn't that something you should know about a person before you have a kid? Or get a ring from them?"

"Guess so. I was born on February 7th an' I'm 38."

"Jeez you are old!" she said playfully. An eight year age gap wasn't too bad, especially for apocalypse standards. Sure, it was the largest age gap she'd ever dated a guy with but he was great and she loved him.

"Maybe yer jus' young," he suggested.

"Nah, I'll get you a cane if we find one."

"Funny, Marie," he rolled his eyes. They were both quiet for a few minutes.

"What if it's over run?" Marie asked, breaking the silence. She couldn't get the thought out of her head. She had worried terribly about leaving the prison to begin with, but if something were to happen to her or Daryl, Gavin would be crushed. Maybe it wasn't smart of her to leave. But, Daryl had made a good point, hunting was better out here. Plus, this would probably be one of their last days to be outside, given that it was already getting pretty chilly, and at nights they would get around thirty degrees.

"Then we turn back," he answered simply. "Stuff ain't nearly as important as either a our lives." The silver truck continued to speed down the country road, as both Daryl and Marie were quiet. They didn't really know what to say after that. Marie was truthfully surprised that they were actually going to go back to Hershel's farm to retrieve the items that they left behind. After about five more minutes, Daryl pulled the truck up the driveway to the house. There were only two walkers in sight, which was beneficial. Marie exited the passenger door and shot one, while Daryl shot the other. The tents they'd stayed in were still in place. "Let's get this stuff first," Daryl suggested. Marie nodded and they both moved over to the tents.

"I'll get our bags," Marie said as she quickly moved over to that side of the property. She wasn't stupid about it; she looked around and made sure that there weren't any walkers in sight. The area was clear and she grabbed the two bags from the inside, deciding against getting the sleeping bags. They looked worn and they'd be useless. She didn't bother looking inside of either bag, there wasn't anything lying around, so everything had to be in there.

Once she and Daryl got all of the bags from outside, they went into the house and got the objects Maggie and Beth requested. It was a very quick, easy, uneventful run.

As Daryl drove the large truck down the empty Georgia rode, a thought dawned on Marie. She turned around, leaning over the seats. "The hell are ya doin'?" Daryl asked.

"I'm getting something," she replied, unzipping her bag which she'd left all those months ago. As she got her hands on the cd case, she felt a sting on her butt. "Hey!" she protested, moving back into her seat. "What is it with every guy I date and my ass?" Daryl shrugged and kept his eyes on the road. She put the cd in the cd player. A 3OH!3 song began to play. Marie scooted over to the middle seat.

"Whatcha doin'?" Daryl asked, looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Nothin'," she said innocently. She pressed a kiss to the side of his neck.

"Don't seem like nothin'," he said.

"Maybe it's not," she whispered, kissing his neck once more. The car came to a stop and he cut the engine, but turned the key back to still have the music. She easily took his hint and moved onto his lap. Their lips attacked each other's. His hands found home on her jean clad ass as hers worked at unbuttoning his shirt. When the song changed, she froze and pulled away from his kiss.

"What's the matter?"

"I…I can't. Not to this song." _I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing_ by Aerosmith was playing. He looked at her, searching her blue eyes for the reason. "This was…um…" it was hard to say. Especially when this song was playing, so she turned it off. "I know guy's hate when women talk about their exes…but this was mine and Shane's song…I…" she whipped her eyes. Daryl felt like he had to understand. Whether either of them liked it or not, Shane would always be a part of their lives. He was Gavin's father after all.

"S'okay," he said, cupping her face.

"I'm sorry, really."

"I said it's okay. Let's jus' get back." Marie nodded. She didn't really want that to ruin their time. So, she leaned in, pressing a kiss to his lips once more, in hope it would get them back into the mood. His hands moved back around her waist and then found home on her sides, but when his thumbs went to caress her stomach, he paused.

"What?" she asked, looking at him curiously. His hand rested on her slightly more extended belly.

"I jus' didn't notice ya were so big…" She gave him a look of irritation. "I mean…ya know…So pregnant…not fat."

Marie broke a smile. She knew what he meant, she just wanted to make him squirm "Well, I'm about sixteen weeks along, but I was still pretty small up until twenty weeks with Gavin." He continued to move his hand across her belly. It was so fascinating. "You should be able to feel it kick soon."

"Can't ya just talk in terms of months?" he asked. She smiled and nodded. Daryl gave her a genuine, happy smile. He'd be lying if he said that he wasn't excited in the least. Sure he was scared of all the things that could go wrong, but on the other hand, there were things that could go right. He loved Marie and any child that was a combination of the two of them could be special.

"We should get back," she patted his shoulder and moved back to her own seat.

"Guess so," he agreed. They began to drive back down the road.

"Shit," Marie cursed. "Look up ahead!"

"Fuck," Daryl replied. He put the car in reverse, and turned around. The large herd of walkers heading there way wasn't there when they began their journey and it was rather nerve wrecking that they were so close.

"How are we gonna get back?" she asked nervously.

"Don't know. Check the map; we can probably go 'round the other way."

Marie pulled out the map and looked for an alternate route. After a few moments, she looked back up at Daryl. "There's another way that'll lead us back to the prison…but we've gotta go through a small town."

"That our best option?" Marie nodded. "Guess we better risk it."

"You'll get us back," she looked at him confidently. They sped down the road made it to the town. They were pleasantly surprised not to see a huge herd of walkers blocking their path. Although…they didn't see any walkers…which, was even more odd. "Um…" Marie started. "I have a funny feeling about this…"

"Can't go back the other way…" Daryl sighed. He didn't like this either. He'd do whatever he could to keep her safe; that was for sure. Marie scooted closer to him, suddenly feeling very lonely on the other side of the car. She gripped his thigh and he patted her hand affectionately. "Don't worry, I'll keep ya safe." He was kind of getting used to this knight in shining armor thing. He was always the one that Marie went to.

"Okay," she said leaning closer to him. "I just have a really, really bad feeling right now…"

"I got ya," he wrapped an arm around her for good measure. Out of nowhere, there was a loud popping noise.

"Daryl, that was a gun shot. Stop the car!" He obliged in the hope that they wouldn't be shot at any more. Marie scooted back over and rolled down her window. "Please don't-" Daryl pulled her back to his side.

"What the hell are ya doin'?" he exclaimed. "Are ya crazy? We don't know who the hell those people are! They could be rapists or some shit!"

"Oh God! I didn't even-!" Marie was so used to being around good people; she forgot how fearful she needed to be of live people...

"Ya gotta think 'bout these things Marie."

"I can't believe I…Oh God! This is bad!"

"Don't move!" a male's southern accented voice exclaimed. "We'll shoot you!" he warned.

"Roll that window up an' duck," Daryl said to Marie. She did as she was told, trusting his judgment. He started to speed away, and that's when the there was another gunshot and a stream of curses left Daryl's lips. He shut down the car. "We're fucked," he hit his head into the steering wheel.

"We'll be okay," Marie tried to be positive. But, in reality, she was shaking in her boots. It was terrifying. She couldn't die. That was all there was to it. Daryl couldn't die either. They had to live.

"Step outa the car nice an' slow," another southern accented voice said. This time, a woman.

"Please don't hurt us…" Marie said.

"We'll see about that," the woman said. Marie took Daryl's hand in hers, hoping that it would provide themselves with some comfort. They both slid out of her door, being as it was the side that the woman was on. She was younger, with bleach blonde hair and forest green eyes. She was shorter than Marie, making her about 5'4" and she was petite but she clearly had some strength to her. "You're…You're pregnant?" she asked, her hard look softening.

"Yes…and I have a son back with my group…I just want to get back to him." Marie was hoping that the young woman would be sympathetic and allow them to just leave, maybe pick up another car…

"Melody, go back inside, I'll take it from here," the original man said approaching him. Marie looked up to see who it was, she turned white as a snow flake and gripped Daryl's hand like a vice.

"But sir…she's pregnant…" Melody said.

"I'll take care of it." He continued to walk, his melodic footsteps echoing in Marie's ears, making her sicker by the moment. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" he chuckled softly.

**AN: Who do y'all think it is? Or is it someone we've met before? Please review and let me know what you thought about this! (I'm weird right now, it's 1:30 am and I need to be up at 7 am…). The more reviews I get, the more likely I'm gonna post the next chapter tomorrow :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: OMG! Just watched season 4 trailer! Someone left a review last chapter mentioning it, so I had to watch it! I did think of Gavin too. I'm currently camping right now...which means I can't get internet service! I'm dying here, but anyway, I didn't know my phone even had internet (it's not supposed to, and I'm probably gonna be in trouble when the bill comes back). But, I got on there, and I couldn't see much. Can someone tell me if Daryl punched Rick? Or was it someone else? It looked like Rick to me. Well more to the point, that trailer has me thinking about what I'm gonna do with this...and I realize it will be very different. So, please enjoy it anyhow. **

"I won't let nothin' happen to ya, I promise," Daryl said as they sat, her in front of him, and his arms around her on the floor. They were in a department store with ten people.

"I don't think you can really control that…I mean we're trapped in here…"

"Tol' ya I'll keep ya safe, now didn't I? Have I ever lied to ya?"

"No…but…"

"Exactly. Have a little faith in me babe."

"You have gotten us this far," she said, squeezing his thigh lovingly.

"Mm hm," he kissed her temple and pulled her back so that her back was to his front. Out of nowhere two children came up to them. One was barely old enough to walk and had a teething ring in his mouth, the other was about ten and she had her red hair in two pig tails.

"Hi there," Marie said. She made a funny face to the baby, Who laughed and bounced happily. "What's your name sweetie?"

"Ali," the red head said shy. She reminded her so much of Sophia, just in the passive way that she spoke.

"Hello Ali, I'm Marie. Is that short for Alexandra or Alexandria?"

"Allison actually," she batted her eyelashes and held the little boy's hand.

"Oh, that's a pretty name," she smiled. "This is Daryl. He may seem scary be his bark is worse than his bite." The little girl nodded. "Is that your bother?"

"No…we lost his parents a while ago," Ali said sadly.

"That's very sad. I'm sorry." She nodded in acceptance for the condolences. "What's your name, little guy?" she asked the baby. He cooed, not being able to talk yet.

"He's Andy."

"Andy, Ali, get away from them!" a woman called.

"C'mon Andy," the young girl led him back to the woman Marie assumed to be Ali's mother.

"Ya really like kids, huh?" Daryl asked.

"Yes, despite the circumstances, I'm excited to be a mom again. I mean…it's scary, but I don't know. I'm glad that I'm pregnant."

"If yer-"

"We have a working shower facility in the back, if you two would like to use it," a woman with dark black hair and soft brown eyes, said.

"That would be great, thank you." Marie smiled, she patted Daryl's leg and stood. She didn't realized how difficult it would be until she actually had to do so.

"Ya okay?" Daryl asked, noticing her trouble getting up.

"I'm fine, just a little more difficult than I thought," she gave him an easy smiled.

"Are you expecting?" the woman asked. Marie nodded. "Your first?"

"Second. I have a son, he's three."

"I remember being pregnant with my son Spencer, that was rough."

"But worth it, right?"

"Every second of it," the dark haired woman said. "I'm Laura."

"Marie."

"Daryl."

"I'm sorry you both are here, but I'm not the one in control. That all changed one this Governor guy came in and took us over."

"I understand. I just want to get back to my son, y'know? But word to the wise, this guy is bad news. He did run a town…but he slaughtered half of his group and kidnapped myself and two others…I just don't want any more good people to be hurt by him."

"Thank you, but I'm afraid there isn't anything we can do…He's got his two men and then there's Melody…Myself, Don, and the children don't have a chance."

Marie looked at Daryl. He nodded. "Ya can stay with us if ya get us outa here. Hell, we even have room in our truck…"

"I don't…I don't know."

"Please…" Marie pleaded.

"I'll talk to Don later…okay?"

"Thank you. Um, could we go get our bags from our truck? They have clothes in them..."

"That's not up to me...I'll take you to the Governor," Laura gave them a pained smiled and led them to the man in charge.

"What?" he asked impatiently.

"Sir, these two would like to get there bags...so that they can shower."

"You can go," he pointed to Marie. "You stay here, I don't trust you," he eyed Daryl carefully.

"Can I please have my weapon back?" Marie asked. She knew that she couldn't demand it. She had to treat him like she was dealing with a snake that could lash out at any moment, the Governor couldn't be trusted.

"Nope. Your truck ain't that far, just right out in the lot."

"Ya ain't sendin' her out there weaponless an' alone!" Daryl exclaimed.

"What I am or _ain't_ doin' doesn't concern you. So why don't you just go sit your ass down or my friend over here is gonna make it so that you can't do so."

"With all do respect," Marie began calmly. "I would feel much safer if I had a weapon or someone with one...please."

The Governor sighed loudly, as if it was such a burden. "Fine. Spencer!" he called to a brown haired boy. He couldn't be more than fifteen.

"Yes sir," the boy said, making his way over to them.

"Walk her to her truck and make sure no bitters get her."

"Right away, sir." Spencer walked with Marie to the doors and out them. He led the way to her and Daryl's truck before he spoke. "Look, I'm not like him...I want you two to be allowed to leave, honest. But, I have to follow orders or he'll hurt my mom...so can you please not cause any trouble out here?"

"Okay," she agreed. The boy some how reminded her of Gavin. He was so protective and clearly intelligent. "I can't make any promises for Daryl though...he's trying to protect me..."

"Are you two-?"

"Together?" Marie offered. He nodded. "Yeah...why?"

"Just curious...You didn't look alike, so I just wondered." Add curious/nosy to the list of ways he reminded her of Gavin.

"He's the dad too," she said, touching her stomach. "I figured that was your next question." Spencer nodded. They luckily hadn't run into any walkers, given that they were caught up in conversation. Once they arrived at the truck, Marie pulled out the two bags belonging to herself and Daryl.

"Let me carry those," the dark featured boy offered.

"Thanks...but what if I walker comes?"

"I'll give you the knife...I think I can trust you..."

"With me, you can...but do me a favor and don't trust what people say, okay? They're liars. You never know their true motives and I don't want a sweet kid like you to end up hurt or worse because of some asshole with a good story."

"Thanks for the advice," he said politely. She gave him a soft smile as they both made their way back into the store. Spencer handed the bags to Daryl. Laura began leading the two to the showers.

"Okay guys, I know that this is gonna be awkward, but the only way that you can take a shower, is if I'm in there," the elder woman said awkwardly.

"That ain't happenin'!" Daryl exclaimed. He didn't even like for Marie to see him naked, or even shirtless for that matter, let alone some random chick he just met!

"Then don't shower. I have to follow orders, I'm sorry."

"Is there anyway that you can just stand outside the door?" Marie asked. Again, being the calmest one, a tactic she and Rick shared-or rather used to share. Her brother had lost that thing that made him a great leader, and she didn't understand it.

"There's a window in there..."

"How wide is it?" Laura held her hands about a foot apart. "Hun, I'm pregnant, I'm not risking hurting my baby to squeeze out a window."

"And you?" she asked Daryl.

"I ain't leavin' her." he stated.

"Okay," Laura sighed, opening the heavy metal door. "But I swear, if you have lied to me, I will hunt you down and bring your heads back myself. You seem like good people and all, but I'm not risking my family for either of you, got it?" they both nodded, completely understanding. They both cared about the well being of everyone in their group, but if it came down to any of their lives compared to Gavin or Sophia's...those two would win every time.

"Thank you very much. I truly appreciate your kindness and you can trust us at our word."

"I hope so," Laura mumbled. Daryl and Marie quickly walked into the room, it appeared to be a locker room at one point.

"You go ahead and get everything turned on, I'll get clothes out of our bags, okay?" Marie offered. Daryl nodded and set the bags down on one of the benches. She heard him go and turn on the showers, and she began hunting for clothes.

Daryl found it odd that they were being held captive, but they weren't in chains, and they were allowed to shower. Something was even fishier than it seemed in this place. He wouldn't let his guard down, he promised himself that. He had to protect- "The hell?" he was ready to send his elbow backwards when he realized it was only Marie. She'd wrapped her arms around his middled from behind. Somehow, it was obvious to him that she was the assailant. Maybe it was her soft skin or her sweet scent, but either way he knew it was her. And, he was absolutely positive it was once her lips gently pressed against one of his more prominent scars on his left shoulder. He'd often noticed her lips find home there. He wasn't quite sure why.

"Thought ya'd want a shower to yerself?" he asked.

"No, I don't want to get more than a foot away from you," she said. She hated how clingy she sounded, but she felt the need to be. Daryl was possibly the only person she trusted with her life. She used to trust Rick with it too, but over the past month, he'd bought himself a first class seat to Crazytown.

"Babe, we ain't ever gonna get clean if yer right here."

"Maybe I wanna stay dirty," she said childishly.

"Ya gotta."

"Okay, how's this? I'll help you get clean, then vice versa? Given that I'm not sure exactly how far along I am, I need to be careful not to reach above my head. They say that you're not allowed once you reach the five month mark."

"Why's that?"

"The umbilical cord could wrap around the baby's neck."

"Damn, guess I gotta help ya wash yerself."

"Damn right you do, this," she gestured to her stomach. "Is your fault."

"Far as I recall, ya was a willin' participant," he grinned.

"Only 'cause I got seduced by a redneck."

"Oh no, ya was the seducer."

"Nope. But, do you wanna argue or get our shower done?"

"Argue," he joked.

"Haha, smart ass. Just for that, you get to wash my back first." She held out the withered bar of soap-one she'd had since the farm, and turned around. He took it and moved the bar across her back.

"Really hate yer tattoo back here," he said.

"Of Gavin's name?" she asked.

"No, not his name." He meant Shane's. It was hard to look at the woman he loved without remembering the fact that she was with some other man before him. Although, even if he didn't know

"Oh right...Names really are a curse."

"Not if ya get the right one," he said, running the bar of soap down her spine. She shivered under his touch and smiled.

"Oh yeah?" she turned her head to him. "Would you get my name, and where?"

"Ya, I would. Right here," he touched the left side of his chest, right over his heart.

"Aw," she smiled and pressed a kiss to his lips. He truly said the sweetest things some times. She didn't know if he meant to say some of the sweetest things she'd ever heard or what.

"We're gonna get outa here, ya know that right?" It had been bothering him for quite some time that they weren't back at the prison with their 'family'. That was where they belonged and it was unfair that they were trapped by some psycho.

"I know you'll find away," she said, kissing him sweetly.

**AN: Chapters will get longer as we go along, this had like 500 more words than the last one. Please let me know how you think I'm doing so far. I'm very unsure of this as of now...**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Well my bad, on the whole who punched Rick thing. Small cell phone screen I guess...I could barely tell who was saying what either. Does anybody know if they're airing the trailer on AMC or if it's just like youtube and such? I'm camping right now, so I haven't watched actually television, movies yes (Boondock Saints mostly) but no cable. **

"We promised Gavin we'd be back by sundown, he's probably losing his mind right now," Marie said nervously. No matter what, her thoughts kept traveling to her son. She missed him more than anything. It wasn't that she didn't miss Sophia too, but unfortunately, she wasn't the first child that popped into her head. She hadn't seen Sophia grow from a small knot into her stomach to the young woman she was today, but with Gavin he was hers. And, at one point, he was all she had.

"Sophia too," Daryl agreed. He missed both children more than words could describe.

"Are you glad we have the 'damn dog' now?"

"Recon so. Out of everythin' that happened with Merle...what surprised me the most was how Gavin took it."

"I know. He was such a wreck...it was worse than when I told him about Shane..." they were both quiet for a moment. "I don't think he remembers his dad at all..." she stated sadly. "Everyday he remembers less and less...It's very sad and unfortunate."

"He called me 'dad' 'fore we left..." Daryl admitted. He hadn't told her because he didn't know how she'd take it. He didn't even know how he was taking it. He figured he had a year to prepare for the new baby to say it.

"Oh...I'll explain everything to him when we get back," she offered halfheartedly.

"Ya don't have to. I was jus' sayin' that he did. It don't bother me none." Did it? He thought that he was at least a little bothered by it...but once he said it, he knew that he wasn't.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"If I'm gonna be with ya, I'm gonna be with all a ya. Gavin's yer kid an' I'm gonna love him like he's my own."

"How is it that such a perfect man hasn't been snatched up yet?"

"I ain't nowhere near perfect. Don't ya think it fer a second."

"You're perfect to me. There isn't a thing I'd change 'bout you."

"Ya would, if ya could."

"Well..." she grinned. But then shook her head. "Not a damn thing." After another few minutes. "There is one thing I'd change about myself..."

"What's that?"

"My past...yesterday in the car...when that song came on...I mean, I know he's dead and I need to move on, it's just he was the only serious relationship I really had, and I need to shut up now. I just feel awful. I'm with you, I love you, and I'm gonna love our baby. From here on out, any past that didn't have Gavin in it, doesn't exist."

"Ya don't have to-"

"But I do. You don't deserve some girl that's hung up on her ex, a dead ex, but an ex nonetheless. Okay, so if I even begin to mention his name, tell me to shut up." Daryl wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. He wasn't sure where it had come from either. It did make him a little uneasy when she spoke of Shane, he wasn't sure if that was because Shane was the first person Daryl had ever killed, or if it was because she'd been with him before Daryl. And yes, the tattoo bothered him, but it wasn't something he could change.

All at once, there was the sound of glass shattering. They looked up, and Daryl unconsciously pulled Marie closer. There was shouting that they couldn't understand, but they both had a very bad feeling.

"I want my mommy!" Gavin exclaimed. He sat on the floor, crying. He reminded everyone in that moment how young he really was. Gavin was always mature, especially for his age.

"Gavin, your mommy's gonna be here soon, I just know it," Elizabeth tried to soothe him.

"I want her now!" he exclaimed.

"Hey, little dude, ya wanna go outside and throw some rocks?" Judd offered.

"NO! I WANT MY MOMMY!"

Judd backed away, not knowing what else to do.

"Sweetheart," Elizabeth started, but was cut off by Rick making his way into the area.

"What the hell's goin' on in here?" he asked.

"My momma an' daddy ain't back!" Gavin exclaimed.

Rick was confused by that statement. He assumed that Gavin was referring to Daryl as his father.

"The will be, but you have to calm down. You're drawin' walkers."

"I DON'T CARE! I WANT MY MOMMA!"

"Calm him down," Rick said to Elizabeth.

"The only way he's gonna calm down is when Marie and Daryl come driving up that driveway."

"If," the older man said. He thought that their little mission was a stupid idea, and he'd told Daryl as much. But, Daryl refused to listen. He'd stated that this was extremely important to Marie and he'd do whatever he had to do.

"You're a real bastard sometimes, y'know that?" Elizabeth turned on her heel and went off in search of a team to send after Marie and Daryl.

"Ma'am, there's no need to worry," a man said when he walked over to Marie and Daryl, who were sitting on the floor. "You neither sir. We've taken the rogue man into our custody."

"What the hell are ya talkin' 'bout?" Daryl asked.

"'The Governor' or whatever y'all called him, we've taken him out of the location. We've been conversing with our 'man on the inside', Don-a retired Marine and he told us that that man was bad news. So, we listened and took care of it." Neither of the two new what to think. Here this guy was...saving their asses, and they didn't know if he could be trusted. "I'm General Anthony Jeddford. But you can call me Jedd."

**AN: Really short chapter here...I know. I suck. I thought I'd get it up though, because I don't plan on writing for a couple of days once I get home (sleeping is the first thing on my list). Also, I don't know when the next update will be. The earliest would be friday...but it depends on how quickly I get back into routine and writing. Maybe some more reviews would put me in a more likely to write stage :). Before I end this chapter, I feel that it's important to reply to one specific review. I will not name names, but you know who you are. I'm not doing this as a PM because there may be some others that need this cleared up too. **

** Let me start off by saying I'm not mad, truly. This review simply got me thinking. Thinking a lot actually. And, I am only 15 so I'm kind of naïve when it comes to relationships and such (I'm not allowed to date for another year). So, I do appreciate the help and such. But, about 8 years ago my dad past away (I'm not saying this for sympathy or condolences just stating facts) my mom hasn't fully moved on. She hasn't completely moved on and when she hears her song, she get's a little emotional. With Marie, it's only been a year maybe? And she knew Shane all of her life...I get that she's 'moved on' so to speak, but maybe not fully, and maybe she never will. It's not like she can forget him...I know that Shane and Marie weren't married and things were rocky at the end...but do you get my point here? If you don't please feel free to PM me. I'm truly not mad or upset in the least. I just like for everyone to be clear on what's going on in the story. I'm not writing this for an apology either, one is not needed. You were simply stating your opinion, and that's perfectly fine. Like I said, I just go to thinking because of it. **


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: How far along is Marie? Um…gosh I'm off on my math right now…let's go with like four months? Does that sound about right? I'm bad at this whole pregnancy stuff…I really should've done more research on it…I don't know when women actually start showing…**

**On a separate note, I don't know how well written this chapter will be. I'm kind of distracted because I read these two reviews from the first two chapters of Keepin' Secrets from a guest and I just felt like they were overly mean. A little bit of criticism is okay…as long as you talk about the good. They mentioned something about Marie becoming an unlikable character and a Betty-Sue (Mary-Sue?) and I just didn't think that at all…I wish that they weren't a guest so that I could PM them about it…instead of doing this. Last chapter I mentioned another review. It didn't make me upset like this. I know that people are entitled to their own opinions but to they need to be mean about it? Maybe I'm sensitive or something…but I don't know. Sorry, I felt the need to get that off my chest and now I'm going to get started on actually writing.**

"Are you two part of this group?" Jedd asked.

"No. That asshole took us prisoner," Daryl said.

"We'll get you two both back to your group, don't you worry," Jedd was a tall man, a little over six foot; he had soft green eyes and blonde hair. 

"We sure appreciate it," Marie said.

"Don't mention it. That's what we do."

"What are ya gonna do with the Governor?"

"Don't you worry about that." They didn't like that answer but what choice did they have? They couldn't demand he tell them where they were taking the other man. "Do either of you need any further help."

"We got it," Daryl said. He didn't trust Jedd, not one bit. The man nodded. "C'mon, let's get back to Gavin and Sophia."

"Yes, let's go," Marie said. They started to walk out to their truck; they'd have to switch vehicles, given that the tire was flat.

"Is that offer still on the table?" Laura asked. "The one where we can come back to stay with y'all? We have supplies and lots of it."

Marie looked at Daryl. He and Glenn had taken over the roles of leader for the most part. "Have any of you killed anybody since this started?"

"I have," an older man with salt and peppered black hair said. He had hard brown eyes. "He was tryin' to hurt my granddaughter."

"Y'all are in," those were the rules they agreed on. They'd let anyone in so long as they hadn't murdered anyone in cold blood. The only true defense against walkers was people. "Do you have cars?" Laura nodded.

"You can just move your stuff into the car with me and Spencer," she offered.

"Thank you," Marie smiled.

"MOMMA!" Gavin exclaimed as he saw his mother step out of a smaller silver car. He ran to her and hugged her tightly. She picked her son up, and kissed his cheek. She held him tightly.

"I missed you so much. Oh, I'm so happy to be back."

"I thought I losed ya!"

"You won't lose me. I'm here for you baby." By that point both Marie and Gavin were crying. "I won't ever leave you here alone again." She really didn't want him to be more than a few feet from her.

"Uncle Rick wouldn't help…I wanted them to go find ya but he wouldn't let Lizabeth go!"

"He wouldn't?" Marie asked. She knew it would've been a risky thing to do, but she was a little offended. You'd think that him being her older brother, he'd want to go find her.

"Yeah! I'm gonna go see daddy now," Marie set him on the ground. She understood how Gavin would see Daryl as his dad…but still. It was rather heartbreaking

"Soph, why are you standin' there all the way over there by yourself?" Marie asked, noticing the younger girl's distance. The blonde made her way over to her almost mother and hugged her tightly. "I missed you. You kids mean the world to me."

"I was so worried! You were gone…Gavin couldn't stop crying…and Rick wouldn't let anybody go look for you…Marie I was afraid you wouldn't come back."

"I'm here aren't I?"

"Is the baby okay?"

"Yes, the baby is fine," Marie assured her.

"What's going on out here?" Carl asked, making his way to the front of the group of everyone standing outside. He moved to where Marie and Sophia were standing. "You're back!" he exclaimed, hugging his aunt. Somehow he'd gotten out of whatever funk he'd been in. After hugging Marie, Carl took Sophia's hand in his discretely. The older woman smiled.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Laura, Spencer, Don, Ali, and Andy," she pointed to each of the new group members as she said their names. There was a mumbling of 'nice to meet you' but in truth, people had grown so used to there being new people, everyone would forget their names within a few minutes. "Why don't we go back inside? I brought y'all's stuff."

"Our stuff from the farm?" Carl questioned.

"Yeah. That's why me and Daryl left. I wanted Gavin's baby pictures, and I know that you wanted Judith to see your mom and such."

"Thank you," Carl said. He took the initiative to unload all of the bags. "You two go ahead. I've got this," he said.

"Okay." Marie and Sophia both walked into the prison.

"Your baby's gonna be a girl," an old woman said, walking up to the two. She was about five feet tall, with white hair and soft blue eyes.

"That's hogwash, Mary!" another old man exclaimed, the two looked identical, Marie guessed they were twins. "Your baby is gonna be a boy!"

"Girl!"

"Boy!"

"How about we just wait like five months and we'll all know?" Marie offered.

"Don't worry girl, it'll be a boy," Amanda-the other old lady said.

"Girl. Look at the dryness of her hair."

"Her belly's basketball shaped, it's a boy."

"Hooey, that's just an old wives tale!"

"So's the dry hair! Is your hair normally dry?"

"I think that's the lack of showering…"

"See! You don't know nothin'! This girl is having a boy!"

"Girl!"

"Boy!" Sophia and Marie both slipped out of the area to leave the two to their arguing.

"Ya get everything unpacked?" Daryl asked, walking into his and Marie's cell.

"Just about," she replied, folding one of his shirts. They were stored in small bins that slid under the bed. Somebody had the brilliant idea of sliding two of the bunk beds together, creating one large bed, which was nice. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Although none of my clothes fit," she frowned. "Not even any of my jeans…"

"Too small?" she nodded.

"Which is really too bad, I'll have to stick to sweat pants…jeans are warmer, but whatever.

"Is gettin' chilly ain't it?"

"It's freezing in here. I'm wearing two pairs of socks with my boots right now…"

"Want me to warm ya up?" he offered suggestively. They were alone in the cell and his offer was very temping but she shook her head.

"I've got stuff to do…Don't get me wrong, I'd love to right now…but I just feel like there's no privacy during the day. Tonight?"

"Can't Rick's got me on watch."

"Seriously? You just got back from being held hostage! I'm really gonna kick my brother's ass! Cock blockin' me!" Daryl laughed softly. It was more so the fact that she'd said 'cock blockin' than anything.

"He sure needs it. Gavin said he was a pain."

"Yeah. I thought you and Glenn were supposed to be the leaders…"

"Me too. Guess not…"

"I'm gonna go talk to him," she decided, dropping Daryl's shirt into the pile and hurrying to find him. Once she did, she glared at him. "What the hell is your problem? Daryl and I were hostages and you put him on watch tonight? There's like a hundred other people you could put out there!"

"Look that's just how it works."

"You're an asshole. He needs sleep," and he did. When he walked into their cell, his blue eyes were extremely tired and he looked as if he just wanted to go to sleep.

"You two shouldn't be going on suicide missions!"

"Like you haven't abandoned your family on suicide missions before!"

"I came back!"

"So did I! What the hell is your problem? You said you were giving up your place as leader. You let Glenn and Daryl take over, you're supposed to sit back and take care of Judith."

"Maybe they're not fit for the job."

"Neither are you, you arrogant asshole! Whatever your problem is, you need to let it go and move on with your life."

"Don't start this shit, you've always been bossy and annoying, thinking that you know what's best for everyone. Why don't you stop stickin' your nose where it doesn't belong?"

"Speak for yourself! I heard how you wouldn't let anyone come and look for us. I'm your sister; does that count for anything anymore?"

"Not really. If you're gonna go out there with some stupid ass plan and get yourself killed that's your own damn fault. Don't expect a rescue team."

"I didn't _expect_ a rescue team. But you could've at least given my son-your nephew some hope! I'm sure he was crying his eyes out the entire time."

"Attracting walkers too," Rick scoffed.

"You gone cold…I can't even look at you anymore…what happened to that big brother that I looked up to? The one that was selfless and just the sweetest person you could ever meet? I want that Rick Grimes back. Not this shell of a man. Not this cold-hearted asshole," she turned on her heel and left. She couldn't stand to hear anymore of Rick's callous words. He wasn't the man she'd grown up with…not in the least.

"Hey Marie," Judd said with a smile, noticing her. "What's wrong?" he noted her quick and angry pace.

"Just…family stuff." She said defectively.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine."

"Oh um, I hope you work it out…so listen…are we gonna be havin' weapons trainin' in the mornin'? There's a lot more people that'd like to learn the knives, since they can already shoot guns…"

"Um, yeah. Maybe, I don't know. We'll have to see how I feel. Plan to have it, and I'll let you know otherwise, how's that?"

"Great. I'll let the rest a 'em know. You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Judd."

"Okay, had to make sure. You'd tell me if you weren't okay, wouldn't ya?"

"Yes, Judd. Tell Jessie I said hi, okay?"

"Will do," he saluted her and walked off. She rolled her eyes, he was a funny kid. Although she thought that he liked her a little too much. When she'd told Daryl about the fact that she thought Judd may have a little crush he'd just laughed. He wasn't worried in the least. She made her way back to her and Daryl's cell to find the kids working on their way drawings with crayons, Dug ever faithfully at their sides. The dog wagged his tail when he saw Marie walk in. Gavin had been the one to come up with the idea. He came up to Marie and said, "Momma, I 'member how ya had that colorful wall paper in yer room, I wanna make dis like yer old room." And from that day on, he, Sophia, and Carl had been coloring on her wall. Sure Carl and Sophia may've been a little old to do that, but they had missed just being kids.

"Where's Daryl?" she asked them.

"Showers," they said in unison. Someone from one of the other groups that had merged with them had figured out how to get running water back into the prison. It couldn't be drunk without boiling still, but it was better than washing off in the creek outside. "So what are you drawin' for me today?" she asked, taking a seat on the bed.

"Bunny rabbits!" Gavin exclaimed.

"What color?"

"Rainbow!" he exclaimed. She smiled.

"He's drawing two knights fighting while I draw the pretty princess," Sophia said. A wistful gleam in her eyes.

"Are they fighting over the princess or over something else?"

"They're fighting for her hand in marriage. And one knight is in love with her…but the other just wants to win so that he can be king."

"So who's gonna win?" Marie asked. Sophia shrugged. "Well you can't just end the story there! I gotta know what happens!"

"Well George, the one that loves Lilith will most likely win, because he's been training since he was a child, but in secret. But, then again, Alexander was professionally trained…so it's an even battle…"

"I hope George wins," Marie said.

"Me too, but we'll have to wait and see."

"How'd it go with Rick?" Daryl asked, walking back into the cell. He had a towel and dirty clothes in one arm.

Marie rolled her eyes. "He can be a real ass sometimes. I'm not sure where we stand…"

"I can watch, ain't big deal," he said halfheartedly.

"It is a big deal. Rick needs to stop being a dictator. He needs to just move on with his life. He's just-Carl don't repeat all of this to your dad neither."

"Don't worry, I won't. We don't even talk anymore," the young man shrugged.

"Daddy, look at the bunnies I drew!" Gavin exclaimed, pulling at Daryl's pant leg. Daryl moved over and looked at the colorful 'bunnies' they were really just different colored stick rabbits with long ears. But, he was three. At least Daryl could tell what they were!

"Lookie there, ya've got a purple one and a yellow one…I wonder what purple bunnies taste like?"

"Hey!" Gavin put his hands on his hips. "No eatin' my colorful bunnies!" Marie couldn't help but laugh. Those two were just so funny together.

"Okay. I won't. But the bunnies outside? They're fair game."

"Nuh uh."

Yes huh." Gavin stuck his tongue out and blew a raspberry into Daryl's face.

"Hey now!" Marie chided. "We don't spit Gavin. That's rude. Apologize."

"But he said he was gonna eat the bunnies!"

"I don't care, apologize for spitting. And Daryl won't eat your bunnies, right Daryl?"

"Yup. But if ya don't apologize, I'll eat all a them!"

"I'm sorry!" Marie decided not the explain the fact that it would be impossible for Daryl-or anyone to consume his bunnies…drawn on concrete…That could be saved for another day.

"Marie, can I talk to you for a minute?" She was walking in from weapons training when the voice got her attention. She turned and sighed.

"I guess."

"I'm sorry. You were right yesterday; maybe I shouldn't have been so cold. I've been thinkin' a lot 'bout this. You are my sister and you're one of the most important people left here." Rick said.

"Remember what mom used to say?" she asked, not replying to his apology just yet. He shook his head in response. "Don't say you're sorry unless a.) You really mean it and b.) you're not gonna do it again. So are you sure you're sorry?"

"Yes. And I did say I was steppin' back as leader, so I need to do so. I've got Judith and Carl to think about."

"Okay, that's all it took. I forgive you. But, this is your only second chance. If you start being a coldhearted asshole again, you're not my brother, deal?"

"Deal," he agreed. They gave each other a quick hug and moved on with their day. Marie knew that in a normal world, she wouldn't have forgiven him so soon, but nobody knew how many days anybody had left. And, she'd hate for one of them to die while being in a fight. She was her philosophy was to live without regrets. Especially since the baby was due in about five months…and there was a large possibility something could go wrong.


	5. Chapter 5

"Momma, I miss Cheetos…and cake…chocolate cake…" Gavin said, swinging his legs back and forth while sitting on the bed and petting Dug, who was laying his head on Gavin's lap.

"Honey, you're making me hungry," Marie said, patting her now large stomach with a small smile. She was now eight months along and quite large.

"Do ya want me to go getcha something?" he offered.

"That's okay," she said. "Besides, it's _your_ birthday." Gavin only shrugged. It didn't feel like his birthday. This was his second year in a row having to celebrate his birthday in the apocalypse. "I know, it's not the best, and we can't really do much celebrating…and I'm sorry, it's hard, I know."

"It's okay," he gave her his best brave smile. "When's Daryl gonna be back?" Gavin had been sometimes calling Daryl by his name, and sometimes calling him 'dad' or 'daddy'.

"I'm not sure. Soon hopefully." Daryl had left yesterday morning on a run with Glenn, an ex army combat medic named Bob Stookley, and a few other people. They were mostly after medical supplies, something that they'd always need. They had left towards Macon.

"Maybe he'll bring cake," Gavin said halfheartedly.

"Maybe," Marie said. She felt bad, not being able to give him a party, or a celebration. That was one of the hardest parts of all of this. Then, a feeling of dread washed over her. She knew that this new baby would never get to have a birthday party, or Christmas…or anything like that! It was sad and unfortunate how the kids of the apocalypse would have to grow up. "I know, why don't we go down to the gym and you can play with the other kids?"

"Momma, yer not 'possed to walk down the stairs 'less ya have to," he replied. "Laura said."

"Well you can go play. You don't have to stay up here with me."

"I want to," he insisted.

"But I'm boring." Gavin shook his head.

"I don't want ya to be alone."

"Don't worry 'bout me, sweetie. If you wanna go play, go ahead." He shook his head again.

"I wanna stay with ya, 'least 'til Daryl comes back."

"Okay, I can't say I'll be much fun…but if that's what you-" she paused for a moment. "Give me your hand," she told him. He obliged and Marie placed his hand on her stomach. "Feel that?"

He stood quickly and looked panicked. "What was that!?"

"The baby kicked," she stated with a small smile. "You have to be quiet though, you'll scare it."

"It can hear me?" he asked, astonished.

"Yeah."

"Can I talk to it?" Marie nodded, with a slight smile. "Hi there my brother or sister. Dis is Gavin. I'm your big brother. I want ya to get here a'ready so we can play!" She found herself laughing quietly. "Yer lucky 'cause yer gonna have two of the best parents ever!" Gavin looked up at his mother. "What does it say?"

"I don't know…It won't be able to talk for another year."

"A year?" he asked. Marie nodded.

"Can we look through some of the old pictures?" he asked.

"Sure, pick one out."

"Let's get this shit and go, I wanna get back," Daryl said to the group. They had successfully gathered everything useful from the hospital from Macon. They weren't sure how, but the area was mostly empty. They were in luck.

"Me too," Glenn agreed. He hated being away from Maggie for any amount of time. Which, is how he assumed Daryl felt. This run was really for Marie, she would be having the baby in a couple of weeks and Daryl wanted to make sure that they had everything that they'd need. That's way Bob had come with them. He may not have ever delivered a baby but Laura gave him a list and he knew what everything was. Out of nowhere, they heard a woman's scream about two blocks away, and a few gun shots. "What should we do?" Glenn asked Daryl.

He sighed and hopped onto his bike. "Let's go help 'er." He was mad at this woman for her stupidity, but he wouldn't feel right just leaving her. Glenn and the others hopped into the other vehicle and followed Daryl's motorcycle. He pulled around the corner and four a woman and a little girl who looked no more than eleven or twelve. He was glad that he'd come back now. Although, he knew that there was only one open seat in the car-the reason he'd opted for his bike. He shot one of the ten walkers that were gathering, as the rest of their group followed his lead. As soon as they all had fallen, he put the kickstand out and stood, making his way over to the two newcomers. "Y'all can come back with us," he offered. They still hadn't turned around. "We ain't gonna hurt ya."

"Daryl?" the woman asked, turning around. Her blonde hair was in a mess of a bun on top of her head, but her brown eyes were as kind as ever.

"Jenna?" he asked, stunned. He made his way over to the blonde and the dark haired child. "Who's this?" Just by seeing the little girl's face though, he knew. She had curly dark hair and bright blue eyes.

"Amanda Julia Dixon."

"Aunt Marie?" Carl's voice asked, as he made his way to the doorway. She looked up at her nephew from the photo album she was showing Gavin.

"Is there anything I can get you? You're okay, aren't you?"

"I'm fine, Carl. Although, I wouldn't mind a little help getting outside…it's kinda stuffy in here."

"Sure. I'll go get my dad or somebody."

"Thanks," she replied. With Gavin, she could walk just fine, he was a pretty small baby, but this time around, it was difficult to even stand on her own. Carl returned a moment later with Judd in tow. "Are you sure you can lift me?" she asked him.

"Oh you can't be that heavy," he said with a smile.

"I think my dad is helping Michonne with something," Carl said.

"So what is it that I need to do?" Judd asked.

"Um, just help me stand and then kinda be my crutch…usually Daryl does this but well he's not here."

"Okay, no problem," he gently pulled her to her feet and then helped her down the steps and out to the courtyard, all the while Gavin and Carl on their trail. She sat on one of the benches someone had built. "Anything else?"

"Nope. I'm good, thanks." He nodded and returned into the prison. "Where's Soph?"

"She's helpin' with lunch," Carl explained.

"Oh." That sat for a while, a few hours, just talking. It wasn't about anything or anybody in particular, but it passed the time. Although, a few moments later, a rumble of a motorcycle drew all of their attention. Marie looked up with anticipation, and was pleasantly surprised when she saw her blue-eyed redneck drive up. But, her heart dropped when she saw blonde hair flowing behind him and hands on his midsection. When he sent a smile, a genuine smile her way, her stomach did a flip for the most pleasant of reasons.

He stepped off of the bike and quickly made his way over to her. He held out his hands, an offer to pull her to her feet, which she accepted. "I missed ya so much. That was jus' too long," he pulled her in for a tender kiss. "Yer okay? The baby's okay?"

"We're both fine," she assured him. "Did you find new people?" she asked, gesturing to the blonde and a dark haired little girl making their way towards them.

"Ya. Jenna, this is my girl Marie," Daryl said to the blonde. "Marie, Jenna, an' this is Jenna's lil' girl, Amanda."

"Hello," Marie smiled, relaxing a little. The girl was clearly quite a few years older than her, so maybe things would be okay.

"Daryl, you didn't tell me she was pregnant," Jenna said, like they were old friends. "How far along are you?"

"Eight months," Marie replied. "Approximately."

"Who are you?" Gavin asked, butting into the group.

"I'm Jenna," she said, bending down to his level. "And what's your name, cutie?"

"I ain't cute," he crossed his hands across his chest. "My name's Gavin."

"Well it's nice to meet you, Gavin. This is my daughter, Amanda." He stepped closer to his mother, unsure of the new people. "You didn't tell me you had a son, either," she said to Daryl.

"Gavin, sweetie, why don't you go show Amanda around?" Marie said to her son. She wanted to know who this chick was and if she was just really friendly or if she knew Daryl.

"But momma-"

"Just for a few minutes, please? You can show her the gym and all of the other kids…"

"Fine," he sighed.

"Be good, Amanda," Jenna warned her daughter.

"So, do you two know each other…or?" Marie asked, trying to sound casual. Daryl, of course, picked up on her sudden mood change and wrapped an arm around her and kissed her cheek.

"Oh Jeez, how may years have I known you?" Jenna asked with a smile. "We met when I was twenty-three? I was a waitress at this bar he and Merle used to go to…"

"Ya, I was twenty-one-"

"That would've made you, what? Five?" Jenna asked, all the while a smile on her face.

"Um no, I was thirteen," Marie replied, a slight acidity in her tone. She didn't like the vibe she was getting from the other woman.

"So that little boy, he's not Daryl's, is he?"

"And what if he was?"

"Then I'd say you're a lying ass whore."

"Excuse me?" Marie looked at her stunned.

"Whoa, the hell, Jenna?" Daryl looked at the woman he thought he knew stunned.

"What, it's true. That boy don't look a damn bit like you or her, for that matter."

"I'm gonna go," Marie said, turning to leave. She didn't want to get into a fight with the other woman, or even an argument. The baby needed a calm environment and if her heart rate quickened, so would its.

"Lemme help ya," Daryl offered, knowing the difficulty she had walking and especially with the stairs that led to their cell.

"I'll be fine, stay out her and talk to your_ friend_."

"I don't wanna. I wanna talk to you," he said, refusing to leave her side. She sighed and nodded before kissing his cheek.

"I missed you too, y'know? Don't go on anymore runs that require me to sleep alone, okay?" he smiled.

"A'right. Not like I sleep much with ya anyway. With all yer tossin' an' turnin'."

"'Cause yer baby can't sit still," she said.

Jenna was slightly taken aback. The last time she saw Daryl he was so…different. He didn't talk, and he certainly didn't kiss girls on the cheek, or wrap his arms around them just for the sake of it. She couldn't help but to think that this new Daryl Dixon was being wasted on some girl that was lying to him.

Later that night, Marie was alone in her cell-she'd complained of being tired and decided to go ahead and turn in. Daryl was playing poker with Gavin and some of the other kids, which was what he wanted. She was reading one of the books Maggie and Glenn had found on a run a few weeks back, it was nice to just relax with a good book. It made things seem less strange. There was a knock on the bars of the door and she didn't bother looking up from her book, instead she just called, "Come in."

"Daryl told me that your son isn't his, and that he knew that…I shouldn't of said that earlier." Marie looked up, folding the corner of her page down and closing the book.

"You shouldn't have," Marie agreed. "It was very rude and uncalled for. I hadn't done a thing to you."

"I know. Maybe I was a little jealous. I mean I did know the man for seventeen years…But it was rude."

"I accept your apology and I'd appreciate you not saying anything along those lines in the future," she was trying to stay calm, and not cause a change in heart rate.

"So Daryl really trusts you, doesn't he?" she nodded. "Loves you even?" she nodded again. But, Marie had a bad feeling about where this conversation was going. "Well, that makes me wonder if he told you who Amanda's dad is…"

"Who is Amanda's dad?" Marie asked, humoring her.

"So he didn't tell you?" she was silent. This was not sitting right with her. Whether she liked it or not, her heart started beating so loud, she could hear the constant noise in her ears. "I'll take that as a now. Strange though…I thought he would've…" with that, Jenna turned and left.

_There's no way_, Marie thought. There was no way that Amanda was Daryl's kid…was it just her or was that what Jenna was suggesting? Although, she had to admit, there were some similarities between her blue-eyed man and the little girl. They had similar dark hair and they both had those bright blue eyes…But she didn't see why he'd lie to her. She wouldn't be mad if he told her. Clearly any of that happened before her, and if Jenna had done the same thing Marie had, Daryl probably didn't even know until today! She decided she was going to get to the bottom of this, no matter what.

**AN: Please review :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Don't expect these frequent type updates…I'm only doing this because I know that soon I'm gonna be really, really busy. I have my first tennis match August 12****th**** and I start school again the 21****st****, so I should be fine until the 21****st****…but I don't know after that. Tennis season is over at the end of September so I should be free once October rolls around :) and then y'all know what happens the 13****th ****of October? TWD COMES BACK! AHH! SO EXCITED! **

Daryl climbed the stairs that led to the upper level of their cell block. He couldn't shake the smile that spread across his face as he took the twenty steps to the cell that he and Marie shared. When he walked in, he undid his pants, leaving him in a shirt and boxers. He still didn't sleep shirtless. He loved her but he just wouldn't be comfortable if someone else came in and saw his scars. Once ready for sleep, he laid down in the bed-now twice as wide as it was when they first moved in, and wrapped an arm around Marie's waist. He assumed she was fast asleep, given that she'd come up here hours ago, but when her back shook in a sob, he knew he was wrong.

"What's the matter?" he asked gently. He'd found her crying for no reason more than once in the past few months, but he asked what was wrong each time.

She did her best to roll over-it was a challenge in itself given that her stomach was so large now, but once she did, she looked into his blue eyes sadly. He wiped a tear from her cheek and looked at her expectantly. "Who's Amanda's dad?" she asked. Marie felt kind of childish the way she said it.

"What do ya mean?" he knew that it was a simple question and he should've just answered it.

"Who is Amanda's father? More to the point, are you Amanda's father."

"Hell no!"

"That's not what Jenna told me," Marie counted.

"Not me! Amanda's Merle's!"

"Are you sure?" she asked, although she regretted to question as soon as she asked it. She didn't have a reason not to trust Daryl…but she felt the need to ask.

"I know she ain't mine. Dunno if she's Merle's er not. Jus' know she ain't mine. I ain't never slept wit Jenna." More tears feel down Marie's cheeks.

"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have believed her! You didn't deserve to be questioned liked that!" Marie began sobbing once again. Daryl knew it was the hormones making everything so dramatic. But he couldn't help but think about the fact that Marie said she shouldn't have believed _her._ Did she mean Jenna? Had Jenna told Marie that Amanda was Daryl's? Even when she told Daryl that it was Merle's child?

"S'okay, babe. I don't lie to ya. Ya know that.

"I just feel awful."

"Don't," Daryl had grown used to her hormonal outbursts and in his opinion he'd become pretty good at handling them. "Ya had ta know. But now ya need ta sleep, okay?" She nodded and he kissed her forehead. He was going to have a serious talk with Jenna in the morning. If she lied to Marie about something that huge, she wasn't the person he once knew. Jenna was the only woman that he'd ever seen put up with Merle's shit, until one night. He had gotten a little too drunk and messed up on drugs-he didn't even remember which one, but Merle had hit Jenna and that was the last they'd ever seen of her.

"Daryl," Marie whispered, shaking his shoulder. He woke in an instant. "Lemme up, I have to pee," he obliged and she stood from the bed carefully and left the cell. They didn't use the toilets in the cells because they hadn't hooked up the pluming for those. They worked differently somehow.

A few minutes later, Daryl heard the distinct sound of feet on concrete and smiled softly. But then, he heard what sounded like a water balloon being busted and he shot straight up. "Daryl…um…go get Bob and Laura…please?"

"What's wrong?" he asked sitting straight up.

"That baby's coming." He stood quickly and headed for the door. "Pants might be nice, hm?"

"Right," he said, pulling his pants on before taking off to find the people he needed. Marie breathed the way she was supposed to. This was nerve racking and scary. She was so afraid she would die or lose the baby, if either of those things happened; Daryl would be devastated, as would a lot of other people.

She took a seat on the bed and reached into her bag. She pulled out the six different folded pieces of paper. She had decided if she was going to die, she wanted all of the people she cared about to have a personalized goodbye from her (i.e. Daryl, Gavin, Sophia, Carl, Rick, and the unborn child). They'd be in plain view so that whoever could find them if something were to happen.

"C'mon, Bob's gettin' the other room ready," Laura said, walking into the room.

"If something happens to me, can you make sure they all get these letters right here?" Marie asked, pointing to the stack of letters. Laura nodded. She understood Marie's fear, but she didn't think that anything would happen to the younger woman. She wasn't old; barely 31 and she had had a child before. And, her pregnancy had gone smoothly. Everyone had done their best to keep her stress free and relaxed.

"Marie," Daryl said softly, waking her from her doze. She looked up at him with sleepy blue eyes.

"Daryl, I'm tired…" she complained.

"Wanna see why?" he asked, holding a small bundle of blankets. She nodded, and sat up a little bit. He passed her the bundle and she gazed upon the face of with bright blue eyes that she knew right away were Daryl's. "He's somethin' ain't he?"

"He?" Marie asked. Daryl nodded. "He's just so precious," she beamed. "Oh my God, he looks so much like you."

"Wanna hold our daughter?" he offered.

"Daughter? I had twins?" she was shocked. Everything seemed so much like a painful, blur. One moment Laura was telling her to push and the next she found herself asleep. He nodded and received another bundle of blankets. They traded babies. "Oh my, she's so beautiful too," she stated. But, the thing was, she looked nothing like either of them. Her eyes were a dark green color and she had a full head of curly black hair. "I'm really not sure where she gets her looks from though…" Marie admitted.

"My mom," Daryl said sadly. He'd know those soft green eyes anywhere. Things weren't always bad. He could remember a few times when he was really little that his mother had taken him and Merle to the park and they just ran and played all day. It was different, and happy.

"Do you want to name her after-" he shook his head dismissively.

"No way, no how. She's gonna be her own person."

"Okay," Marie decided not to question it further. "But we do have to name these babies…" he nodded in agreement.

"Ya can sleep fer a bit more an' we can talk 'bout it then…"

She shook her head. "I have to feed them. They're probably starving...What time is it, anyway?"

"Sun's just risin'. People shoul' be gettin' up soon."

"Where's Gavin?"

"I went an' got 'im a few hours ago. He's sleepin' in the chair over there. Rick took Soph an' Carl to help 'im outside."

"Alright. You can go back and get some sleep or eat something if you want."

"An' leave ya with _two_ babies? Nuh uh. 'Sides, I'm fine."

"If you say so," she rolled her eyes. "What do you want to name them?"

"Don't matter to me. Nothin' stupid though."

"How about…Parker?" she wasn't quite sure where that name had come from. But she kind of liked the sound of it. Parker Dixon.

"Parker," he repeated. "I like it," he decided.

"Parker Hunter?" she asked with a slight laugh. Daryl was a hunter and Parker would likely be to, so she figured he might as well have the name.

Daryl laughed too. "A'right. Parker Hunter it is."

"Now we have to name her," Marie said, looking at the beautiful baby. She smiled at her mother's voice and Marie couldn't help but to smile back. "Airabella?"

"Airabella? I ain't heard that name 'fore…" Daryl said. Although for some reason he liked the way it sounded.

"Something unique…how can a kid growing up in the apocalypse not be?"

"Makes since. Parker Hunter and Airabella Delaney." She smiled happily at the names. "Why hadn't was talked 'bout this yet?"

"I dunno…although they were around two weeks early…but Laura says that happens a lot with twins."

"Hm."

"They really are so beautiful though…I can't get over it. I-"

"Momma?" Gavin's small voice said, standing from his chair across the room and making his way to his mother and new half siblings. "I thought ya was only gonna have one baby," he said, taking a seat at the foot of the bed.

Marie laughed softly. "Me too. But apparently not…would you like to see get a closer look at your baby sister?" she offered, since it was Airabella that she was holding. Gavin nodded and carefully moved closer. Marie leaned down so that he could see the baby's face, she reached her hand to him and cooed.

Gavin crinkled his nose. "She doesn't look like ya. Or ya," he said to Daryl.

"That happens some times."

"What's her name?"

"Airabella Delaney," Daryl chimed in.

"That's a weird name."

"So's yours, punk," Marie said playfully.

"'Cause you named it to me!"

"'Cause you're a weird kid," she laughed.

"Hey!" he protested. "I'm not weird." The two gave each other a playful stare for a few moments before Daryl cleared his throat.

"Ya wanna meet yer lil' brother?"

"Yes!" Gavin hopped off the bed and moved to Daryl's side. The older man bent down and let the little boy see his baby brother. "His name's Parker."

"I hope we're not interruptin'," Rick said, walking back into the room. "Carl and Sophia were jus' really anxious. To see the babies…"

"C'mon in," Marie said. She couldn't exactly turn them away, and they were family too. Rick walked in followed by the two teenagers (they were only 13, but that still counted). Sophia took to one side of Marie and Carl took to the other.

"Is this one the boy or the girl?" Sophia asked.

"This is the girl, little Airabella. Wanna hold her?"

"Can I?"

"'Course, here. Just be careful. Don't drop her," she felt the need to add the last part. She didn't think Sophia would, but it was a scary thought, especially on the concrete floors.

"What's the boy's name?" Carl asked.

"Parker," Daryl said. "Wanna hold 'im?" Carl nodded and Daryl gently passed the baby to the his almost nephew.

"She's so pretty!" Sophia exclaimed.

"He looked just like you, Daryl," Carl said.

"Knew I wasn't the only one that thought so," Marie grinned. "None of my kids look like me. I don't get it."

"Yer one of a kind." Daryl smiled at her.

"Aunt Marie, I've been workin' on somethin' for ya, but I don't know how well it'll work now…You'll just have to look at it when you get back to your cell…" Carl said.

"What is it?"

"It's a surprise!" Sophia exclaimed.

"Okay, I'll have to see it soon, I guess."

"Can I hold her?" Rick asked Sophia, who nodded timidly and passed the baby to the older man. Airabella started to whine right away. "I don't think she likes me…" Rick said nervously, giving the baby back to her mother.

"Guess not," Marie laughed. "Or maybe she just wants her mommy. That it, Airabella?"

"That name's a little long for a baby, don't ya think?" Rick asked. It wasn't that he didn't like the name, it was just that the name really was a mouthful.

"Maybe we should give her a nickname…" Marie agreed. "What do you think, Airy?" She looked up at everybody else. "Airy? Does that work…it's a little…dfferent…but…"

"I think it's pretty," Sophia said.

"Again with the weird names, mommy," Gavin said with an eye roll.

"You're a little punk, y'know that?" he stuck his tongue out at her playfully. "Don't make fun of my names. They're unique. How many people do you know named Gavin?"

"Jus' me."

"Exactly, so I'd say it worked." Marie yawned and inadvertently rubbed her eyes. Daryl, of course picked up on this.

"A'right, every body out. Ya saw the babies, now she needs 'er sleep."

"Even me?" Gavin asked.

"You can stay, sweetheart," Marie told him.

"Jus' be quiet," Daryl said. "Don' be keepin' yer mom up."

"But it's daytime, she's 'possed to be awake…"

"Not when she's been up all night."

"But-"

"Daryl's right. If you're gonna stay, you need to be quiet. I've been up all night bringin' your brother and sister into the world, okay? You can go to sleep too."

"Fine," he sighed, and laid down along side his mother. He wasn't sure how he felt about having a new sibling, let alone two. At first he was excited…but now, he wasn't sure. Before the dead came back he had his mother all to himself, all of that changed when they met his Uncle and found his dad. But then there was Daryl. And sometimes Sophia. Sophia was so quiet that he didn't take any time away from what he spent with his mom…but occasionally Daryl did. That was okay too though, because Daryl was nice and spent time with him. Except now…there were two more kid and he was afraid they'd spend all of their time with Airabella and Parker and forget all about him. Gavin looked up slightly when he felt his mother's comforting hand stroke his hair back as she was busy with one of the babies. It was soothing and began to lull him to sleep.

As Daryl sat, holding Parker still, he thought about something. In his little miss match family, if someone looked at it, they wouldn't believe that they were related. Parker was the only one that really looked like either of them. Sophia was blonde-she was actually related to either of them, but she was part of the family, Gavin looked like a mini-Shane, and Airabella had black hair and green eyes-although, she looked a little bit like Marie in the face. They both had small noses pale completions. Everything seemed to have happened so fast…one minute, he was sleeping, the next he was a dad-of _twins_!

This had turned into one strange night…

**AN: Okay, I have no idea what the process would be like for having a baby in the apocalypse…that's why I kinda skipped over it…and let y'all kinda make it up. And as for the names…I did go with Parker, and I hope that y'all understand, but I couldn't name the girl Bella…every time I would've typed it I would've thought of "Twilight" and I really don't like Kristen Stewart (I'm sorry if you do, but she gets on my nerves). So, I hope y'all were okay with the fact that I did still use it in the, just not as the actual name…Tori D, I'm especially sorry to you, but if a name makes me think of someone else, I don't use it and that's what was goin' on there. And you guys have no idea how many times I've seen the "Twilight" movies. My little sister became obsessed and…it was just bad. **

**On another note, I know if Marie wouldn't have brought up the Amanda/Jenna thing right away it may've been more interesting, but I thought that it was more realilistic this way. **


	7. Chapter 7

"Can I hold one of the babies?" Judd asked. Marie smiled and nodded. He'd come to her cell to congratulate her while Daryl went and ate something and showered.

"Which one? Airy or Parker?" Marie asked.

"Airy," he said. She handed him the small little girl and she cooed when the older boy picked her up. "Hi there little one," he said. When his face got close to her, she grabbed his nose. "Ow!" he chuckled. "Ya better watch this one," he passed the baby back to her mother.

"At least she didn't cry," Marie offered with a smile. There was a knock on the bars and Marie naturally called back a 'come in!'

"Hi!" Jenna beamed. Marie inwardly groaned. _Bitch is bipolar,_ she thought.

"Hi," Marie replied less than enthusiastically. Jenna took that as invitation to walk over to the bed and look at the brunette's children. Gavin was in the chair by Marie's bed looking at a book. She tapped her son's shoulder and gave him a look and motioned with her head towards the door. He got her meaning and went off in search of Daryl. Daryl had said if there's any problems to just have Gavin get him and he's settle them.

"Oh she's so pretty!" the blonde exclaimed, seeing Airy. "She really doesn't look anything like you or Daryl though…odd." Jenna pretended to be deep in thought. "Are you sure he's the _only_ possible father?"

"Yes I am," Marie replied quickly. Judd's jaw dropped while he looked at the blonde. "Now if you wouldn't mind-"

"Are you sure? I mean she doesn't look like you either…"

"You can't talk to Marie that way," Judd said.

"And what are you gonna do about it?" she asked nastily. "Thought you country boys was taught not to hit ladies," she mocked his accent.

"First of all, he's just a kid and you need to stop being a royal bitch. Second of all, you bitch are not a lady."

Jenna heard the footsteps approaching and turned back into her fake smile. "Aww! Can I hold one?"

"Hell fucking no! Get away from me!" just as she said that, Daryl walked in. He raised an eyebrow at her. "You did that on purpose too!"

"I don't understand why you're being so mean all of a sudden," he voice wasn't whiney now and it was how an adult should talk. "I only wanted to see your and Daryl's beautiful children."

Daryl started to interject something but Marie cut him off with a glare. "I swear to God if you side with her, you can take your stuff out of here right now and don't _ever _speak to me again."

"Why would I side with her?" Daryl asked, eyeing her carefully. "Clearly somethin' pissed ya off an' Jenna's the only one that coulda done it. I was 'bout to tell 'er to leave."

"Now that's my man," Marie smiled at him happily. "You heard him, leave bitch." Jenna's jaw dropped and she stormed from the room, stomping her feet like she was five. Oh wait, Gavin didn't even do that so more like two? Marie didn't even know it was such a childish act.

"So what'd she say?" Daryl asked. He'd like to know why his long time friend was acting like that.

"She was suggestin' that Airy wasn't yours just 'cause she doesn't look like you-"

"She look's like my mom."

"I know. She didn't see Parker's face…but still. I'm sorry but I don't want that girl around. She may be your friend, and I trust you even if she's a super hoe, but I don't want her around me, Gavin, Parker, or Airy. You do what you want."

"Can't exactly tell 'er to go to hell?"

"Why not?"

"She's got Merle's kid. My niece an' his only kid."

"I don't have anything against Amanda. She can come visit and see her cousins. I just don't want Jenna within speaking distance of me. I'll say something that's too far in front of the children-like today, and it'll be bad. Luckily Parker and Airy will never remember this even happened. Will you?" she asked in a high voice to the babies, who smiled in response.

"I'll tell 'er how it is," Daryl offered, kissing Marie's head. "I love ya," he moved to give each of the babies-and Gavin a kiss on the head before leaving.

"Ya really trust him that much?" Judd asked. His mom and dad weren't like those two.

"Yeah. Daryl isn't a cheater. Or at least I hope not…but if he's willing to do that to me for some-yeah, then he can do that and stay out of my life."

"Momma, is a super hoe like a super hero?" Gavin asked.

"Yeah, she goes 'round throwin' cats at everybody," Judd replied. Marie kicked him in the thigh and gave him a look to say that if he spoke again it'd be worse.

"No sweetie. A super hoe is _not_ like a super hero. It's something really bad that moms and dads can say. Not you. Okay? Don't say that again."

"Okay," he replied, returning to his book. Judd snorted on the other side of the cell.

"Jenna," Daryl said, tapping her on the shoulder.

"Yes, Daryl?" she replied.

"I need to talk to ya," he said.

"Oh, okay! When can I move in?"

"What?" he looked at her incredulously. "Move in? Ya ain't movin' in. Actually the opposite. Yer gonna stay 'way from Marie an' the kids."

"What?" she asked, pouting her lip. "But they aren't even yours! She's a lying whore! Those are probably that guy in there's kids! How can you-"

"Watch yer damn mouth. Tha's my girl yer talkin' 'bout! They are my kids an' I don't know what happened to ya, but 'til ya change back into the Jenna I knew, I don' want ya near me neither!" Daryl started to turn on his heel, but he felt a sting on his cheek. He simply shook his head and headed back to be with Marie. "Crazy bitch," he muttered. When he reentered the cell, he heard laughing from Judd and Marie. "Wha's so funny?"

"Judd's makin' up a super hero," Marie said with an eye roll. "One named Super Hoe…and she throws cats…and wears-what was it?"

"Fishnets, black boots, leather skirt, an' see through black top," Judd finished.

"You're such a little pervert, go away," she hoped Gavin wasn't like that as a teenager.

"I gotta ask," Daryl said with a small smirk. "Are Parker and Airy Judd's kids?" he was smirking the whole time so Marie gasped and looked at him with deer in headlights look.

"How did you figure it out!? Oh no! Judd now we can't run away together!" Marie said sarcastically.

"Oh no!" he said equally as sarcastic. He wasn't up here to flirt with Marie, there just weren't very many people his age and Marie acted like she was, so they were friends.

"Damn you Daryl! Seriously, however did you figure it out?"

"Jenna cracked that case," he rolled his eyes.

"That bitch! But seriously…I was already pregnant when we met Judd anyway. Not that I'd go there-no offence. I'm a mom…I'm old enough to be your mom…so it's kinda creepy."

"None taken," Judd waved it off.

"I know that. Ain't like ya'd do that anyway."

"Wait, why's your cheek red. C'mere." He obliged so she could examine it closer. "She slapped you, didn't she?" he nodded. "I seriously wanna rip her throat out and feed it to her!"

"Mm, tell me 'bout it."

"Don't worry, 'soon as I'm healed, her ass if gettin' kicked."

**AN: Short, I know. I just didn't have a full chapter's worth from my idea so I figured I'd do a short one…Next chapter should be up Saturday? Maybe? Please review.**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: I didn't realized the line breaks weren't automatically added…so since I most likely won't have the time for that, I'm gonna do like *s to tell when I'm moving like forward in time. **

It had been roughly two weeks since Marie had had the twins and she was now taking a walk with the two of them, Gavin, Sophia, and Carl. Sophia was holding Airy while Marie had Parker, Dug walking at their side. It was nice to be outside. She'd missed this.

"So who are their God parents?" Carl asked his aunt.

"God parents? Hm," Marie hadn't even considered that. "I'll have to talk to Daryl about that one. Although my first thought would be you two, maybe Elizabeth and Rick…but I don't know how I'd feel about Rick raising my child…"

"Who were my God parents?" Gavin asked. "What are God parents?"

"They would be the ones to take care of you if something happened to me-or in Parker and Airy's case me _and_ Daryl. You didn't have any though."

"Oh." He said.

"You and Shane were mine, right?"

"Mm hm. Which your mom was against from day one. Still don't know why."

"Why would you pick us?" Sophia asked, they were so young. Two thirteen year olds couldn't easily raise two kids.

"Well, don't tell anybody, but I trust you two more than anyone else. Carl, you're stronger than most people in this group, maybe not physically, but mentally. And you're a good shot. Soph, you're caring and sweet. You'd be a good mom.

"Gavin!" a small voice called. "Gavin!" the little boy turned at the sound of his name. It was Jilly, Elizabeth's daughter. "Will you come play with me in the gym? We're one person short!" He looked up at his mother.

"Go ahead, but be careful, please. Okay? Take Dug with you!"

"Thanks momma!" he ran off with the young blonde, the dog trailing behind. They giggled as they went along, which brought a smile to Marie's face. As they continued to walk, Marie noticed yet another child. But this one was all alone. Amanda. The older brunette poked her blonde counterpart's arm. Sophia looked up and Marie looked from Sophia to Amanda.

"Invite her to walk with us? Would you, please? She looks so sad…"

"But Jenna…" Carl interjected.

"She's not her mother. She's a child, and she's kind of my niece."

"Here Carl, hold Airy," Sophia said. The boy reluctantly took the baby. He didn't want Amanda to walk with them. Her mother had been vile to Carl's aunt and he didn't like that. For all they knew Amanda was just like Jenna! And Marie was inviting her to join them. He loved his aunt by sometimes he thought she had too much faith in people.

"Hey Amanda," Sophia said timidly when she walked over to the little girl. She immediately looked up with shocked blue eyes. "We're walking around the prison, if you want to join us…" she offered. Amanda looked up at the group that was walking. Another young boy and a woman with two babies. She recognized the woman right away. That was Marie, the woman that her mother had told her to stay away from. Supposedly she was mean and evil, but with the kind smile the brunette offered her Amanda didn't see how that could be possible. She was always one that had to see things for herself.

"Okay," the ten year old finally agreed.

Marie heard Carl sigh as the two girls approached. He swatted his arm. "Be nice," she waned. When the two merged with the group Marie looked at the young girl, noticing how much she looked like Merle. Marie felt kind of silly believing Jenna when she said the little girl was Daryl's child. "Hi. I'm Marie. I'm glad you could join us, Amanda."

"Thanks for offering," Amanda gave her a sweet smile. Marie was slightly confused, but didn't show it. She couldn't see how such a sweet little girl was the product of such a cruel woman and a once cruel man. Merle may've been an asshole at times, but he changed for the better.

"Not a problem." They began walking once again and Carl handed the baby back to Sophia.

"What are their names?"

"Parker and Airabella, but we just call her Airy."

"Those are cute names," Amanda smiled sweetly.

"Thank you."

"How old are you?"

"Why?" Marie asked suspiciously. The younger girl just shrugged. "Thirty-one. How old are you?"

"Ten." Amanda was quiet for another minute while thinking of a question. "Was my dad nice?"

"At first…no. But He was a good guy if you thought about it. If it weren't for him, we might all be dead right now…"

"Hey babe," Daryl walked up out of nowhere and placed his hand on the small of her back and kissed her cheek. "Hi Parker," he greeted the baby.

"You wanna hold Airy?" Sophia offered. Daryl nodded.

"My mom said that you two won't last long…That soon Daryl will leave and come to her…" Amanda blurted out.

"Crazy bitch said what?" Usually Marie tried to watch her language around children…but that was extreme. Who tells their child that?

"Tell yer mom that ain't happenin'. M'happy with Marie an' my kids," Daryl said blatantly. "I'll have a talk with her," he promised Marie.

"No, I think it's time that I had a talk with her," Marie said. "She needs to leave our family alone," she murmured.

"Mm," he agreed.

"Kids? Can you give us a minute?" Marie asked. "Y'all can keep walking." They all agreed, Carl reluctantly so. "Look, Daryl I can't do this. I can't have some _woman_ that I have personally done nothing to keep this up. It's rude and uncalled for. I can't stand it. She's very immature and it's driving me nuts! Gavin's more mature than her!"

"She wasn't like this when I knew 'er. She was kinda like ya, lil' crazier but still. An' I'll admit I might a had a thing for 'er _then_…I jus' don't know what happened. "

"Clearly she has more than a crush on you! She's lost her mind! Daryl…I'm just…It's stressful! I'm just glad she didn't show up a few months ago! Do ya know how bad that woulda been on the babies?"

"It's a'right," he soothed her, pulling her to his side. He couldn't exactly hug her, thanks to Parker and Airy.

"And I'm tired…and…" she dropped her head to his shoulder and he smoothed her hair back. He was tired too, but while he was doing whatever to help the group during the day, she was with the babies constantly.

"Go take a nap. Me an' Soph'll take care of it."

"No I can't-"

"Why? We got it. Ya said ya was tired now go."

"I don't wanna stick you with the kids-"

"Yer not stickin' me with 'em. I'm offerin'. Go." He called Sophia back and she-along with the other kids came back. "Tell 'er to go take a nap. We can take care a the kids."

"We got 'em," Carl said.

"Yeah, go ahead, everyone needs a break," Sophia smiled.

"Okay," Marie relented. "I love you guys," she passed Parker to Sophia and kissed Daryl quickly before disappearing into the prison.

After an hour of napping, Marie felt much better. She rose from her bed, stretched, and decided now would be a fine time to take a shower. She gathered some comfortable clothes-a pair of grey sweatpants and a T-shirt. She began walking toward the showers when Glenn stopped her.

"Me and Maggie are going on a run. Anything you want or need?" he offered.

"Baby clothes? Stuffed animals? Y'know the usual stuff? I know Gavin wanted Cheetos. But I don't know how likely that would be to find."

"I mean anything for you…"

"Hm…just for me? Where are you going specifically?"

"Just this little town. There's lots of stores."

"Some soap and some hair bands," she decided.

"I'll do my best," he promised.

"Thank you," she smiled at him before continuing on her way. "Be safe out there!" she called as an after thought. It always worried her when someone went on a run. She wished that they could all stay safely barricaded behind these walls for the rest of time.

She arrived at the shower a few seconds later and smiled upon seeing it was empty. They'd put up modesty curtains, which she was thankful for. Right now, she didn't want _anybody_ to see her naked, let alone someone that she didn't really know. She stripped her clothes off, after hanging her new ones and turned the cool water on. It didn't bother her or anybody else that it was cold. They at least had running water. She heard footsteps echoing across the white tiled walls. She worried a little bit when she didn't hear the water at another shower head turn on.

"Marie?" she sighed in relief upon hearing Daryl's voice.

"Yeah?" she called back. "I'm in here."

"Guessed that," he said with a huff.

"Where are Airy and Parker?"

"Nappin'. Carl an' Sophia are watchin' them. Tol' 'em to come an' get me if they need anything."

"Oh." She stated as she ran her fingers through her dark hair, trying to get everything clean. Once finished with her shower, they walked back to their block. Gavin came rushing from the gym, red faced from running.

"Momma! I gotta tell you somethin'!" he exclaimed.

"Okay. Go on with out me?" she smiled at Daryl, who nodded. "What happened?"

"These older boys started bein' mean to me an' Jilly! One of them pushed me," he frowned.

"An older boy pushed you?" she asked with raised eyebrows.

"Yes!"

"Show me this boy," she placed her hand on her hips and followed Gavin back to the gym. He pointed to a boy about Marie's height. He must've been about fourteen-far too old to be picking on her son. "Gavin, sweetheart go back to the cell with Daryl and your brother and sister, okay?"

"But mom…I wanna-"

"No. Go on, you don't need to see this…" He relented with a sigh. "Hey kid!" Marie exclaimed, walking across the gym to meet him.

"What do _you_ want?" he asked nastily.

"Follow me into the hall," she said.

"Why the hell would I do that?"

"Listen here little punk, you come with me now or you don't even know what I'll do," she grabbed his arm roughly. "And the rest of you little punks don't even _think_ about coming out there with me," she warned the group of people around him. Once his back was against the wall, Marie got to his level further. "What the hell makes you think that you can put your hands on _my_ son?"

"I don't know what you're talkin' 'bout lady."

"Kid, I swear to God, if you don't stop fucking lying to me, I'll take you out into the yard and shoot you dead." Okay, maybe it was a little far, but Gavin was her child and she wasn't going to let some little asshole harm him in anyway shape or form.

"So what? I pushed your kid? Cry me a river."

"So what? That kid is ten years younger than you! Are you so insecure that you've got to hurt a little kid? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I ain't insecure. Your kid's just-"

"You leave my son alone!"

"He needs to stay out of my gym."

"Your gym?" Marie actually laughed. "It's more his gym than yours! He was here first!" She eyed him carefully. "If I hear about you laying your hands on anybody here, make my words you'll regret it." It sounded like a threat, but Marie was serious. She had always hated bullies, and in times like these, there should be no such thing as bullies. People should be coming together, not pulling apart.

**AN: I don't know how I feel about this one…but I figured I'd go ahead and post it today…I had said Saturday, but I didn't think that y'all would be opposed to me posting a day early :). Please review :) Sorry it was short!**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: So, I didn't get much writing done over the weekend. I don't have much of an excuse other than I'm stressing myself out over tennis tryouts today…I wouldn't even be posting this today if it weren't for your awesome reviews! Keep 'em up!**

"I can't believe people!" Marie exclaimed as soon as she arrived back at the cell she shared with Daryl.

"What's wrong?" he asked, cradling one of the twins, the other was asleep.

"This stupid little punk decided to pick on Gavin! I just wanted to punch him in his face! He just…Ugh!"

"Where's he at? More importantly, where's his parents?" Daryl wouldn't go after the kid, no, he would find the parents responsible for a little brat.  
"How should I know? I don't even know the little asshole's name!"

"C'mon, we're gonna go find 'im," Daryl wasn't going to let somebody treat Gavin poorly. Just as they were about to leave the cell, Sophia, Carl, and Gavin came walking back in.

"Look after them for a minute?" Marie asked.

"Why? What's goin' on?" Carl asked.

"We got a problem to deal with," Daryl stated vaguely before he and Marie headed back towards the gym. They weren't sure where else to look.

"I already scared him a bit," Marie said.

"Well ya ain't as scary as me, babe. Nobody messes with my family," he opened the gym doors. Marie gasped when she saw the same group of punks around a new target.

"Where are you going?" Sophia asked Carl.

"They may need my help," Gavin had explained that some rude boy pushed him. "Plus I think I know who they're talkin' 'bout. Kid named Cole."

"Well be careful," Sophia said timidly. She didn't want to see Carl hurt.

"'Course," he made his way to the gymnasium and found something rather unexpected.

Daryl had Cole by the shirt collar and was shouting, "Ya wanna eat yer teeth? First ya pick on kids ten years younger than ya! Now girls? Ya don't pick on girls!" The specific girl he was talking about was Amanda. Marie held the little girl's hand and stayed back. Daryl was seeing red and she was only going to stop him if he was in danger of killing the boy. It was fine for him to intimidate the punk, but he was still underage.

"C'mon man, let him go," one of the other two boys said.

"Yer gonna be next! This little prick's gettin' it first 'cause he's yer Goddamn leader!"

Carl noticed one of the kids pick up a bat that they had. He rolled his eyes at the cowardice of the boy and grabbed the end of the bat before he could do anything. "If you're gonna fight someone, don't take the spineless way! Fight like a man!" Carl exclaimed.

Marie decided it was about time for her to step in when Carl and another boy began getting into it. The last thing she wanted was her nephew to get injured. They were fighting over a bat, she walked over. "Okay kid, Carl, both of you just put it down," she commanded in a motherly tone. The third boy had left the gym.

In the midst of all of the chaos, the parent of one of the bratty children decided to check on them. "Hey man! What 're you doin' with your hands on my kid!" a portly man asked, walking over to Daryl.

"He pushed my kid an' was messin' with my niece!" Daryl replied. Their shouting match drew the attention of the rest of the arguing group.

"So? You're a grown ass man. You can't be hurtin' a kid!"

"An' it's better fer him? My kid's three! My niece is ten! He's messin' with my family an' I don' need that! Keep yer kid 'way from 'em!" Daryl took the boy's arm and pushed him to his father. "Take that one too!" he motioned to the other kid. Daryl started to angrily march out the door, when the other man called after him.

"You think we're finished here? Think you can jus' lay your hands on my boy and walk away."

"Look, dude," Marie began. "Can you just-"

"Keep your whore outa this," the guy said.

"Don't you dare call my aunt a whore!" Carl exclaimed. He was the first to react. Daryl was a bit shocked that this man was so stupid.

"Babe, go git yer brother, take Carl with ya," Daryl said through gritted teeth. Marie knew that the guy was going to get it, and she could allow that. So, she did what Daryl asked and went and got Rick. She wouldn't question his reasons for wanting her brother in there.

"C'mon Carl," she said quietly. She also realized that Daryl didn't want her nephew to see the violence, he was still very impressionable. She made her way out of the gym and through corridors until she found Rick on watch. "Rick," she started. He turned; Michonne was sitting next to him, watching as well. "Can I barrow you for a few minutes? Carl can stay on watch in your place…"

"What's going on?" he asked, raking his hand through his hair.

"Long story…I'll explain on the way…Just come on!" he agreed and she did just as she said. By the time they got there, it was only Daryl and the nameless man. The latter's face was bloodied and swollen.

"A'right, break it up," Rick commanded. He may not have been the leader anymore, but he still had the essence of one. Daryl backed away from the other man, daring him to try anything.

"I want him out!" Daryl exclaimed.

"We'll bring it before the council," Rick stated. He didn't hold much power anymore, but he was on the council they'd created. It was in place for the large decisions, and this couldn't be made with only Glenn and Daryl. "For now, I'll take 'im to one of the cells." Rick knew that Daryl was fuming, but all of that wasn't grounds to send a man to his death. "I'll get 'em all together. We'll meet in the library." Rick left without further ado.

"C'mon, let's go wait for everyone else," Marie said calmly. She brought her hand to rest on his back comfortingly. He was tense, but nodded anyway. They made the short trip to the library and took a seat at the large table. She wasn't quite sure what to say, she didn't think thanking him would be really appropriate, she was grateful that he was so willing to beat some guy up for her and Gavin. "You called Gavin your kid back there…" she decided to point out. He just nodded and mumbled an apology. "You don't need to apologize, Daryl. It's fine, really," she gave him a calm smile and patted his hand.

After a few moments, the rest of the 'council' made their way to the library. Marie, Daryl, Maggie, Glenn, Tyreese, Sasha, Rick, Michonne, Elizabeth, and Milton made up said council. They all took their respective seats and Rick explained the predicament they found themselves in. All the while, Marie found herself trying to wash the blood off of Daryl's knuckles.

"What does everyone think?" Rick asked.

"Do you really think killing him is the best way to handle this?" Milton asked.

"We wouldn't be killing him," Marie stated.

"Might as well be," Sasha said. "The way I see it, you send anyone back out there, they won't live long."

"He's a danger to the group," Daryl said.

"No, he's stupid and sexist maybe, but I don't know how dangerous that is from inside these walls…" Elizabeth pointed out.

"If we're not goin' to send 'im out of 'ere, there should at least be some rules and restrictions on him," Maggie suggested. "What cell block is he from?"

Everybody just kind of looked at each other. Nobody said that there weren't downfalls to the council being made up of people that were more or less part of the originals. Tyreese, Sasha, Milton, and Michonne were the only added members, and they mostly stuck with the main prison group.

"No matter what, I think Maggie's on to something," Rick said. "He and his boy should have to stay out of the gym and not get within a few feet of either of you," he suggested.

"And what, we count this as a warning?" Marie asked.

"Precisely," Milton agreed.

"That way we aren't responsible for his death and we keep him from bothering anybody else," Tyreese said.

"Daryl?" Marie looked at him.

"He bother's us 'gain, he's gonna eat 'is teeth," he mumbled. "His punk son, too."

"Okay," Rick agreed. "Everybody else okay with that?" There were murmurs of yeses and in Daryl's case an affirming grunt. "I'll let him no. Everybody, go about your day." Once everyone else had left, Marie and Daryl were left in the library alone.

"Hey, you got 'im, okay?" she noticed his far off look and felt the need to say something. He didn't meet her eyes, he just continued to look at his hand in his lap.

"Jus' wish that asshole would jus' go 'way…"

"He won't bother us. And if he does, you can just kick his ass again," she gave him a small smile and gently ran her hand across his stubbly cheek. He still hadn't met her gaze. "Don't shut down on me please." It had been a while since he'd gotten like this. Most of the time he'd talk out his issues, but now he was being a closed book and she couldn't understand for the life of her why.

"Guess ya could be right…" he said halfheartedly. "Jus' don' want anybody to screw up what we got 'ere. This prison's 'possed to be safe. Shouldn't have to worry 'bout assholes like that."

"I agree," she said. She was just happy he was speaking again. "And I also know that if some other asshole comes along that you will be here," she stood and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. He too stood and pulled her in for another kiss. She couldn't help but respond by wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling them closer.

"Where's my momma?" Gavin asked Carl and Sophia.

"I don't know, she should've been back by now…" Sophia said. "But I'm sure she will be back soon, okay?"

"But-"

"Hi," Marie said, peaking back into the cell. "Sorry, we needed to talk some things out," she said, looking at Daryl. He gave her a knowing smirk. "Were they all good?" she asked.

"Parker and Airy have been asleep since you left," Carl said. "And Gavin just now started asking where you were…"

"I'm sorry you two always seem to get stuck with all of them…"

"I like watching them," Sophia said with a grin.

"Well I'm glad. But if for some reason, you don't want to, just let me know."

"Don't think that's gonna happen," Carl said lowly. He knew how much Sophia loved the kids. She'd spend all day with them if she could. There was a knock on the bars of the cell. Everyone looked up and to see Jenna standing there. Marie inwardly groaned.

"C'mon Gavin, Sophia. Let's go find something to do," Carl said. He sensed that they adults wanted to talk alone. The three of them scampered off.

"Daryl, can I talk to you alone for a sec?" she asked.

"Anything ya gotta say, ya can say in front of her," Daryl said, gesturing to Marie.

"Fine, I just wanted to thank you for earlier…standing up for Amanda and all. She told me."

"Didn't do it for ya. Boys ain't got no business pickin' on 'er."

"I still appreciate it…" Jenna said. "I mean nobody's ever done anything like that for her." Amanda was raised solely by Jenna. The blonde had left Merle after he'd gotten arrested-again, and she didn't find out she was pregnant until much later. By that time she didn't have much of a choice but to have Amanda and raise her alone. Jenna had a thought and she realized why she wanted to be close to Daryl so much now. He was the closest thing to Merle that could really exist. They'd grown up together and Jenna knew that deep down, being with Merle was the closest thing she'd had to love. She hadn't ever looked at Daryl in that way before she saw him that day. But now, she realized she'd killed whatever friendship they had before.

"Are we done here?" he asked gruffly. "I got things to do."

"I guess so." Her demeanor was different. She wasn't confident or sassy like usual, Marie noticed. Which, she found rather odd. Suddenly, a blood curdling scream drew everyone's attention.

**AN: It was short again…sorry. I'm not sure how I feel about it either…I hope it was okay. Please review :).**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Two days in a row! Look at me go! Haha I can rhyme. This is mostly because I know that I won't have much time next week when we actually start our matches, I have 4 next week and then we have ATP trash pick up (EW!) on Friday, which sucks. Last year I got beer IN MY SHOE! **

"Daryl?" Marie walked out to one of their lookout places. He was sitting on the concrete, looking somewhere far off. "Come back to bed," she said with a yawn. It was chilly outside and without the lights they'd placed outside, she wouldn't have been able to see her hand in front of her face. She saw a puff of white smoke leave his mouth along with a small red ember at the end of a cigarette. She took a seat next to him, and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"We shoul' leave," he stated after a long moment. She looked at him with a slightly stunned expression. "Think 'bout it. It was on the prison, in our cell block. A walker got in…what if it would've been Sophia or Gavin, or one of the babies? Plus we've got them asshole that I wouldn't trust with a pet rock."

"Honey, I get where you're comin' from…but do you really think it'd be any safer with just us and four kids? I mean sure you, me, an' Soph can shoot…but still…there's safety in numbers, remember?" Sure, earlier was terrifying as hell, but she didn't know about leaving.

_**Earlier**_

_ "Who on Earth was that?" Marie asked. Daryl turned and hurried quickly to where the scream came from. There was a walker, a _walker_ chomping on some poor balding guy. Daryl quickly picked one of the kids that was near and carried him off, to safety. Rick was the first one to react to the man. He shot the walker, and upon the begging from the man to end the suffering, Rick shot him too. _

_ "The hell did that thing get in here?" Daryl shouted. Marie moved out of the cell and looked over the balcony to see what unfolded. _

_ "Don't know," Rick said. "Somebody had to of let it in!" he wasn't any happier than Daryl. _

_ "Jus' fuckin' great!" _

"If someone's lettin' walkers into our block we can't stay here…" he took another inhale of his cigarette and held it out to her.

"I can't, breastfeeding. It's bad for the babies," he nodded in understanding. "Okay I get it Daryl…but we can't leave. On the road with two babies? I see that going well…If it weren't for Airy and Parker maybe. But…even with a badass dad like you they won't always be safe."

"They won't always be safe here! We can git other people to go with us! It won't be jus' us."

"We couldn't even protect Gavin when it was just us…I couldn't…"

"He's older now. We teach 'im to shoot he'll be fine."

"He's only four. Any kick back will knock him on his ass…"

"Fine we teach 'im to throw knives! Anything. Babe, I jus' I know it ain't safer 'er…not with walkers in our block."

"I know. But honestly? I'm terrified to go back out there. What if we run into another enemy group or the Governor?"

"Ya got me. I'll take care a it."

"I just…I don't know…Let me think about it?" he nodded and went back to staring into the distance. "I need to get back inside and check on the babies. I hate leaving them alone." She'd awaken up to having to feed them and that's what made her go off in search of Daryl. "Are you going to come back in?" she paused at the door.

"In a bit," he said. She nodded and continued back to her cell.

She had made some valid points, Daryl admitted. If it was just the two of them, he had no doubt that she would've gone. But then again, if it were just the two of them, he wouldn't have felt the need to leave. They could both protect themselves, but there were four children in the picture. And then something else struck him. Sophia and Carl…those two wouldn't want to be spilt up and Carl wouldn't want to be away from his aunt. As far as Daryl could tell, that kid loved his aunt more than anyone.

He sighed, crushing the rest of his cigarette. He'd found a singular box on a run a few months earlier and had been only smoking one now and then. The familiar action relaxed him. He would've guessed that the smell would've repulsed Marie, but she loved to kiss him right after. It was the strangest thing, but she said she missed the taste, given that she couldn't while being pregnant. She only smoked off and on to begin with, it started when she was a teenager, and she successfully quit when Rick and Shane dropped the habit before entering the police academy. But, unlike those two, when ever she was really stressed one would calm her down, much like how he was now. He rubbed his tired eyes and decided to head back to bed.

"Daryl," Marie rolled over to face him. "I trust you…if you think leaving is our best move…then just tell me when…" she pressed a kiss to his lips.

"I'm still thinkin' 'bout it too," he said.

"Okay, just let me know whatever you decide," she kissed him once more and he pulled her closer, his hand resting on her hip. No sooner than their kisses got more intimate did a baby crying draw them away from each other. She stood and picked up Parker. "What's the matter sweetheart?" she asked, bouncing him. She recognized the cry as one for attention. She held him close to her and rocked him back and forth. "My God, he looks so much like you," she marveled. No matter how many times she looked upon the baby's face, all she saw was Daryl.

Daryl laughed slightly. He wished the twins would've looked like her. He found it slightly odd that none of the three kids looked a lick like her. Airy began to cry next. "Here, I'll take 'im," Daryl offered. Marie silently passed the boy to his father. She rose from the bed and picked up Airy next.

"Now what's the matter with you? Do you want attention to?" she asked the baby. "It's not like you can understand me, can you?" she asked in her baby talk voice. Airy just smiled and looked up at her. "At least they're smiley babies. Gavin always was too."

"See, they may not look like ya, but Gavin acts jus' like ya."

"That may not be such a good thing…" she sat down with baby Airy in her arms. "You think we can all four sleep here?" she asked, not wanting to put the babies back in their crib.

"Is that safe?" he asked.

"As long as you're careful…When Gavin was little he never slept in a crib. He always slept in my bed. It's just now there'll be another person and another baby…You're a light enough sleeper I don't see you rolling over on one of them…"

"We'll be fine," he said.

By morning, there were five people in the pushed together beds. Gavin had had a nightmare, so he was lying on the other side of Marie. She was sandwiched between Airy and Gavin, Parker was on the other side of his twin and Daryl was on the other end. And, to top it off, Dug was lying at their feet. When Marie woke, she rolled her eyes and carefully climbed from the bed. She placed the twins in their proper spots. "Gotta go out, Dug?" she asked the dog. He perked up, and wagged his tail slightly. She slipped into her boots and patted her side. He followed her without hesitation. It was early, the sun was only beginning to peak into the sky, but she didn't care. Anymore four hours of sleep was like her maximum. It was terrible, but her brain was perfectly functional on that. She walked with the dog through the courtyard. Rick and a few others were working on the field. She paid them no mind as she considered what Daryl had brought up the night before. What if they did leave? Would they survive? How would the prison group react? What about-

"Marie…right?" she turned upon hearing a voice. She inwardly groaned upon seeing Jenna, but nodded anyway. "Look…I'm sorry…I really am…"

"Like I haven't heard that before. The last time you apologized you tried to tell me Amanda was Daryl's. What are you going to tell me you're pregnant with his child now?" she rolled her eyes and walked forward. "C'mon Dug," she called the dog.

"Marie, wait!" The brunette whipped around quickly and glared at the blonde.

"I don't want your lying apology. You don't mean it so just keep it!" Usually Marie was a forgiving person. But, Jenna had just burned her more than once and they'd only known each other a few weeks. She couldn't be trusted, it was that simple.

"I'm not lying…" Jenna tried, but Marie had already jogged away, the dog at her side. It didn't take long for Marie to get bored with jogging. She soon headed back to her cell, missing music more than she had in the past year. By that point Daryl had already woken and was cradling Airy. Sophia and Carl were in the cell too, as the young blonde held Parker.

"Boo!" Gavin exclaimed, jumping out from under the covers. Marie gasped, as if he'd scared her.

"You're so scary!" she said, feigning shock. He giggled and she moved to his side and began tickling him. He giggled happily as she blew a raspberry on his cheek.

"Stop!" he exclaimed between giggles. Daryl looked over at them, amused.

"You want some now?" Marie asked with a smirk. Before he could say anything, she came over and blew an affectionate raspberry on his cheek. The look on Daryl's face was priceless. Daryl went as far falling back, laughing.

"Ya got yer spit on me!" he exclaimed, wiping it off of his cheek and onto her shirt.

"That's the point, hun," she laughed. Gavin giggled at Daryl's still utterly shocked face.

"Get her back!" Gavin suggested.

"Carl, hol' Airy, would ya?" Daryl said calmly. The blue eyed boy made his way over to the older man.

"Oh no you don't!" Marie exclaimed. She took off running out of the cell. He followed after her. She squealed when he was gaining ground on her. Before she knew it, he caught her around the waist picked her up. She burst out laughing as he pulled her into a janitor's closet. "My, my Mr. Dixon, are you getting fresh with me?" she asked with a smirk.

"Hell yeah I am! Ya started it!"

"Did I now?" she asked.

"I want every able person with a weapon," Glenn said. Daryl and Marie walked back into the main space of their cell block just in time. "There's walkers swarming out there…I don't know why-Rick and Tyreese when to investigate, but they're gonna tear down the fences if we don't stop them."

"Stay with the kids. M'gonna go help," Daryl said to Marie. He started to head towards the doors, but she caught his arms and looked at him nervously.

"Please be careful…" she pleaded. He nodded and pressed a kiss to her lips. "I love you."

"Love ya too." He left with the rest of the group and she returned to their cell. She was still staying true to her promise not to leave the prison, which counted when there was trouble outside. The twins needed at least one of their parents after all.

"What's going on?" Carl asked. "My dad told me to stay up here…"

"Well…" Marie started. "From what I gathered there's more walkers than usual gathering outside of the fences. Daryl's told me to stay put too."

So, Gavin, Sophia, Carl, Marie, the twins, and even Dug waited inside the cell for the rest of their group to return. It took a few hours…but they did eventually. Daryl walked in, blood covering his shirt, sweat on his brow, and looking incredibly exhausted.

"Everything go okay out there?" Marie asked him gently.

"Fine. Everybody's alive…from what I know…but there's more comin'. They ain't stoppin'. We're goin' out a bit later…."

"What if…now hear me out here. What if we piled up the dead walkers around the prison fences? They hate their own smell, right? It may suck for us for a while…but we'll get over it…That way they'll stay clear."

"What 'bout other people?" he asked.

"The lights at night doesn't exactly scream walker infested…plus don't we want more people?"

"Marie, Daryl," Tyreese said, looking into the cell. The two stood and followed him. He led them away from where the kids are. "Somebody's feedin' these things…" he said.

"Feedin' 'em?" Daryl asked, disgusted.

"Yeah. Me an' Rick, we found animal innards out there by the fences…Somebody is doin' this…He thinks it's somebody from in here…"

"Jenna…" Daryl mumbled.

"She wouldn't put her daughter in danger," Marie argued. "Plus…she was trying to apologize to me this morning. It's not her. I'm confident in that. She may be a bit of a bitch, but she's not capable of this." She froze, thinking of another possibility. "What about that man you beat up yesterday? He seems stupid enough to do this…"

"An' the walker yesterday…in our block…" Daryl finished.

"Rick jus' checked in on him. Bastard can barely walk. He didn't do this," Tyreese said.

"What 'bout his asshole son?" Daryl asked.

"Don't know," the other man shrugged.

"This is just sick! I can't-!" Marie ran her fingers through her hair before walking back to their cell, stressed. She swore, if someone caused any of her family to be put in harm's way, she would murder them herself! She wasn't going to let this make her lose someone close to her. Not because some was deciding to be a sick bastard and _feed walkers_. Who does such a thing? Plus if anybody caught fresh meat they should be bringing it for _living_ people to eat. Not drawing more walkers to eat said _living_ people. Somebody was a true, twisted psycho!

**AN: Whew! It's almost 2am…This whole chapter was keeping me up…I was tired at 9pm…(I feel old) but I had practice today…and it was really sunny. But anyway, I hope you liked it. Please review :). And if you haven't noticed, the idea was kind from the trailer. **


	11. Chapter 11

Marie was wide awake at what she guessed to be around three or four in the morning. She couldn't sleep. She swore up and down she could hear the walkers moaning outside. They were so close and they made their little piece of safety feel less safe. She couldn't help herself, she shook Daryl's shoulder slightly. He sat up quickly. "Hm? Somethin' wrong?" he asked.

"Let's go. Let's just get out of here…I can't stand it…It's not safe anymore…Daryl…" she pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her head on them, as she began to cry. He sat up and rubbed his hand across her back soothingly.

"Babe, is that what ya want? If ya wanna leave, we'll go. As far 'way as ya like…But ya gotta be sure that's what ya want."

"I'm not Daryl. I just know that I hate living in fear of being eaten…I just want to raise our children and be happy and be _normal_…"

"Babe, I hate ta break it to ya…but I dunno if that's gonna happen."

"I know, Daryl. I'm just scared…scared that I'm gonna lose you…Gavin…Sophia…Airy…Parker…I can't go through that…"

He knew how she felt. If he were to lose any one of them…he wasn't sure what he'd do. "I won't let that happen," he promised.

"You know you can't promise me that," she said. "So don't…I know you can try. But you can't promise it."

"Babe, what's goin' on? Why are ya bein' like this all of a sudden? Yesterday ya didn't wanna go, an' now ya do?"

"The people that we thought that we could protect and vice versa are bringing those things here…they are doing the exact opposite of protecting us! I don't want part of our family to get killed because of them."

"A'right, we'll go. But I ain't sneakin' out of here. We'll talk to Rick an' Glenn in the mornin'. Get some supplies an' pack up."

"What if others want to come with us…what then?"

"Depends on who they are."

"If we know we can trust 'em they go, the rest stay."

"We should establish who those people are right now…"

"Babe, I love ya, but it's the middle of the night. I jus' wanna go to sleep."

"You're right…I'm sorry." She blushed. "I'm going to go for a walk or something. The babies shouldn't need anything for another hour and a half. I'll be back before then." He nodded, not fully hearing her. She pulled her boots on and walked out of the cell. She knew that Rick was on watch and she could at least talk to him. She walked out to one of their many look outpoints and saw her brother with his back to her. He turned quickly upon hearing the door close. Once he realized it was only his sister he turned back.

"They just keep comin'," Rick commented. "If we don't watch it they're gonna tear down the fences."

"That's what I'm worried about," Marie admitted. "I mean…what will we do if that happens?" She didn't want to lead on that she and Daryl were seriously considering leaving. She knew that it would take time and she'd rather ease him into the idea. "If we try to pack up and leave…there's just too damn many of us."

"We'll have a council meeting in the morning…bring it to a vote of what to do. Whether we try to take them out slow and conserve ammo or if we do it real quickly." She nodded.

"Do you have any leads of who could be doing this?" she asked, hopeful.

"Not a one…Any ideas from you?"

"No. I just think that it's someone inside the prison…There's no way that it's the Governor or anybody outside the prison." She said. "Well it wouldn't be him anyway…the army people took him…" she thought outside.

"What army people? What are you talkin' 'bout?"

"Back when me and Daryl were captured…that place was run by the Governor…some army men came in and took him…" Rick made an "Oh" face. "We can discuss that tomorrow too."

"Yeah. Maybe someone else will have ideas. Tyreese was fresh out…You don't think it was that Jenna girl, do you?"

"No. She wouldn't endanger Amanda like that. She may be rather bitchy but she can't be that stupid…not if she's survived this long."

"Good point…I just don't know Marie. I'm not gonna lie. This is some scary shit. I always worry about what would happen to Carl and Judith if I…" he trailed off.

"If on the off chance something actually killed you-which seems hard to imagine…You know I'm here. I'll do all I can…and then there's Elizabeth...you know she'd be there too. She's helped a lot with Judith, hasn't she?" Marie kind of felt bad that she was kind of out of touch with the rest of the group anymore. While she was pregnant she'd spent a lot of time with Maggie, Elizabeth, Beth, and even Michonne at times. Gavin always loved going out and seeing her horse. But since she'd had the twins she and Daryl were a bit preoccupied.

"She has," Rick agreed.

"So, I have to ask…are you two-? Or are you just friends…Or?"

"Y'know I'm not sure," he laughed. "We aren't anything official…We're close…But it's not like we've said the 'L' word."

"Hm," she found herself fiddling with her spoon ring.

"So what brings you out here?" he asked. That should've been at the beginning of the conversation but they got wrapped up in other things.

"I can't sleep. I've been thinking too much. I have the same worries you do. Being a parent…it's hard. You know the worries of having a young baby in the apocalypse."

"And you know that if it comes down to you or them, you'll save them without a moment's thought. And you can't bear the thought of losing one of your kids?"

"Yes. These walkers this close, it's scaring the hell out of me. I can't live like this…I miss when I could walk outside without fearing being a meal…Y'know what I mean?"

"I do. But that's gonna be hard to do in these times. We all wish that. Hell, I wish all of this would've never happened and you would've come back to King County and…"

"Rick, I know what you're going to say, so don't even say it. There are aspects of this that I am glad happened. I'm glad that I met Daryl and I'm glad that I had my twins-even though it scares the hell out of me that something could happen to them or Gavin, or even Sophia, who is pretty much my adoptive daughter now…And think about it, we wouldn't have Judith…"

"She could've still existed…" he said.

"Rick don't take this the wrong way, but I always thought that you and Lori would get a divorce. You're the type of guy that wants to be married and have a family, she was not. She wasn't ready for married life, and quite honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if she cheated on you before."

"Thanks for that," he scoffed. "You've thought this the whole time and you didn't even think to tell me? Not once? God Marie, what else are you hiding from me? I swear before you had to be in a group with me you just didn't tell me anything! Ever! You had a son, with my best friend, didn't tell me, you knew my marriage was going to flop, and you don't tell me! For I all I know you've got another kid somewhere!" He sounded hurt by the fact that he knew nothing of his sister's feelings.

"Well it's not like you would've listened to me! You never listened about anything before! I told you how I felt about Lori the day I met her. And what do you do? Go out with her anyway! You're a grown ass man; don't act like you need your little sister to make your decisions for you! We lead our own lives!" With that she left. She couldn't stand to stand there and talk to him any longer. If he was going to make it as if he shitty marriage was her fault her problem in anyway, he could think that by himself.

"So we're all here to discuss what the best way is to take out the walkers outside," Marie said to the council. "We can do this one of two ways. We can either use guns to shoot them all, getting it over quickly, or we can go at this slowly, hand-to-hand through the fence."

"We shoot 'em," Daryl said.

"We'd be usin' a lot of ammo," Maggie pointed out.

"But the longer they're there the more of them that'll come," Tyreese said, siding with Daryl.

"Plus it would give some of the newbies a chance to practice," Marie added. She wanted to get this over with so that she and Daryl could decide what they wanted to do.

"What do we do with that many bodies?" Glenn asked, looking from person to person. They had taken out large groups before…but at this magnitude there was no telling how long it would take to get rid of them all.

"Hear me out," Marie started. She had a sudden idea. "The smell will be awful-but not really worse than now…But, what if we put them along the outside of the fences. That way, it'll deter the rest of the walkers…"

"That's fuckin' perfect!" Daryl exclaimed, looking over at her happily.

"I'm not saying it's a bad idea, but won't other people realize that people are here?" Rick asked. He knew that he and Marie needed to focus on this rather than their argument. "Wasn't that the point of keeping walkers here period?"

"That's why we have 'round the clock watches right?" she said.

"That's another reason to conserve ammo," Sasha pointed out. "If we draw people…bad people in…we'll need the ammo."

"She's got a point," Milton agreed. "But I would say that your idea, Marie, is a pretty good one. They seem to not like the scent of their own kind."

"So what's everyone's vote?" The way it worked was nine people would vote. Each Rick sat out the voting, he was there more as a mediator. "For quick with guns say 'Aye'."

"Aye," Marie, Daryl, Tyreese, and Michonne said.

"All opposed?"

"Nay," Milton, Elizabeth, Maggie, Glenn, and Sasha said.

"Okay, the nay's have it," Rick said. "We will do this slowly. But we need to be smart about it…"

"Next order of business…" Marie said. "Who the hell is feeding these things?" She knew that she couldn't show her distain for not winning the vote. She understood the other side, but she still felt that they needed to take care of it quickly. Others could go on a run and get more ammo.

Everybody just looked at one another. These were the only people other than Judd, Beth, Carl, Sophia, and her kids that Marie trusted. She knew that none of them would do something like this.

"We gotta think here…" Tyreese said. "Anybody seen any suspicious behavior?"

"What about that blonde girl that came back on the last run that Daryl and Glenn made?" Maggie offered.

"Jenna didn't do it," Marie said. She knew that. But she also understood why everyone suspected it.

"I think we better get a move on killing these walkers," Michonne said.

"Everybody just keep your eyes open for anything…and we'll have another meeting in the morning," Rick said. "Daryl, Marie, why don't you two get started outside…" he offered. "I know your time is limited before you have to feed the twins," he told Marie.

The two stood silently, gathered their weapons and went out to the fences. "Look at this! They're already starting to bend!" she exclaimed, stabbing a walker in the eye.

"Sometimes I hate this council," Daryl mumbled.

"Tell me about it…Leaving is our best chance right now. If we keep letting them make all of the decisions they're gonna get us killed…I wish you and Glenn actually got to lead…rather then we all voting."

He nodded and continued with his task. As the two were killing walkers, there was a loud popping sound that sounded a lot like a gunshot. Marie felt a stabbing feeling on the left side of her ribs. When she went to touch it, it only got worse. Before she knew what was happening everything went dark.

**AN: I meant for this to be longer, but we literally have to leave in six minutes so that I can get to practice on time (weather promoting I have it. I didn't yesterday)…and I figured I could wrap it up real quick. **


	12. Chapter 12

"Stay with me babe!" Daryl exclaimed, picking Marie up from the concrete. He swore he would kill who ever did this slowly and painfully. He started moving back towards the prison as fast as he could.

"Take care of our babies," she said, touching his face with her blood soaked hand. "Promise me you'll take care of them…"

"Babe-"

"Daryl promise!"

"I-I promise," he stuttered. Tears began dripping from his eyes. He couldn't do this.

"I love you," she said before shutting her blue eyes.

"No! Stay with me, Marie…Marie!" He picked up his pace, now running at full speed. "HELP!" He yelled. He needed someone to help her…he needed someone to save her.

"Daryl? What-OH MY GOD!" Elizabeth ran to find someone else to help.

"Rick! Laura! Somebody! Marie's been hurt!" She wasn't positive but she was pretty sure it was a gun shot.

Everything to Daryl was a blur. He heard voices, but when someone tried to take his Marie from his arms, he pushed them away. "Jus' tell me where to go!" he shouted angrily. He wasn't letting her away from him. Someone led him down a long hallway to where she had the twins and he gently set her on the bed.

"Daryl, I need you to go find Rick…she's going to need a blood transfusion," someone-he assumed Laura commanded. "Go! She can't have much time!" Just like that, Daryl ran off blindly, calling for Rick everywhere.

Carl decided to go look for his aunt. He and Sophia had been with the twins and Gavin for quite a while and Airy was beginning to get fussy. He nearly ran into a bloody and disoriented Daryl. "What happened?" Carl asked carefully. He couldn't make out much of what Daryl replied, something about Marie being shot…and needed blood. "Where is she?"

"I need yer dad…"

"I've got the same blood type! Now where is my Aunt dammit?" Wordlessly Daryl led the way.

"Daryl, I still need Rick," Laura said, Bob was currently working at Marie's side and Daryl wasn't positive what he was doing.

"I can help her, I have the same blood type, A positive," Carl insisted.

"Well she's losing a lot of blood. I'm going to need Rick too. And anybody else with an A positive blood type." Daryl nodded and went back out in search of Rick. But he paused.

"What's Gavin's blood type?" At that point, he wished he knew more. He wished he had the same blood type. He would've given up every drop of it if it meant Marie would live.

"He has the same," Carl said confidently. "He gave me blood when I was shot…"

"You need to hurry," Laura stressed. "I can only take two pints from Carl; right now Marie has maybe five in her…"

Once Daryl finally found Rick he simply told the other man where to go. He couldn't explain the situation. He needed to find Gavin and some others.

"What's going on with-" Rick fell short upon seeing his sister lying unconscious while Bob worked at her left side. Carl was sitting to her right, looking rather pale. "Oh no. No, no, no, no, no…She can't…"

"Take a seat Rick. I'm going to need your blood," Laura said.

"How did…How did this happen?" he asked as she switched things from Carl to him.

"I want you to hold pressure to your arm to stop the blood flow," Laura directed Carl. "I really don't know…Daryl brought her in."

"She has two fractured ribs," Bob announced, finishing a stitch. "And the bullet hit a blood vessel. That's why there was so much blood. She's still gonna need more blood; it's kind of up in the air right not…I don't know what's gonna happen…"

"Daryl's going to loose it," Rick mumbled. His heart went out to the other man. This was Rick's sister, but he knew that Daryl would be far more upset than he was. No matter what, Rick knew that Marie was like Daryl's whole world. He could see it.

"Momma…" Gavin's small voice came from the doorway. His lower lip was quivering and tears fell freely down his rosy cheeks.

"How…How is she?" Daryl asked, faltering a bit when he saw Bob standing back from Marie's motionless body.

"We can't be sure until we get her more blood. We're lucky that the bullet only grazed her though…It fractured two ribs. But it's too soon to tell is she'll be okay or not. I'm not sure when and if she'll be waking up, she lost a lot of blood…And we're running low on sutures and stitches. I may need more to close her wound."

Daryl nearly fell to the ground. If it weren't for Gavin being at his side he would have. "I'll…I'll make a run to get more," he decided.

"I'll come too," Rick said.

"No, yer givin' blood. Somethin' I can't do…stay 'ere. I'll get people. Don't ya dare leave 'er side." They should've left last night. He should've stayed up and talked to her longer…that's all that was running through his mind. That it was his fault somehow. But then he realized something, whoever shot Marie was to blame. And he'd be damned if he wasn't going to find that bastard. Without warning, he stormed from the room and went back to where some of the people were gathered. "Which one of ya sorry bastards shot my wife?" he asked loudly. People turned to face him, some of them murmuring amongst themselves.

"Marie was shot?" Judd asked, dumbfounded.

"Yes! Somebody shot 'er outa the blue! I'm warnin' ya now, if ya step up now, it won't be as bad as if I have to hunt yer sorry ass down!"

Silence.

"Fine! I'll hunt ya down! An' yer gonna regret the day ya began yer life!"

"I'm gonna help ya find the asshole that did this," Judd said confidently. Daryl only nodded. He was still covered in Marie's blood, but he didn't care.

"Thanks," he murmured. He wouldn't ask the kid along on the run, he was simply too young and Daryl wasn't positive he could trust Judd. He tried to think of people that he could trust and that would be more than happy to assist him on the run. Michonne. He could trust her, and he knew that she was good outside of these walls. He'd ask Glenn and maybe Maggie along too. They liked Marie, and he could offer all of them the chance to leave with him and Marie. There was no doubt in Daryl's mind that she would want to leave as soon as she was healed.

"Daryl!" he turned when he named was called and found Carl. "You're not leaving," he said firmly, holding his arm. "If she wakes up, you need to be there. How would you feel if she woke, and you weren't there to see it happen? Glenn said he and Maggie would go.  
"Aren't ya 'possed to be restin'?"

"I needed to find you before you left…" he said.

"I can't give 'er blood…I gotta do somethin'…"

"No, you need to be by her side. That's what she'd want most. And what if you died out there? You want to orphan Parker and Airy? They're going to need their dad."

"Kid, when'd you get so smart?" Carl simply shrugged. Daryl gave him a weak, yet grateful smile before he went back to where Marie was. He took a seat next to her bed and carefully took her small hand in his. He still swore he'd murder whoever brought her to such a state. He couldn't sit there any longer. Seeing her with her eyes closed wasn't peaceful. He had to find the culprit.

"Daryl, where are you going?" Rick asked from his spot on the other side.

"Gonna find the som' bitch."

**AN: This chapter was difficult…That's mainly why it's short. That and I know that this'll probably be my only update for the week (I hope not) but I have four tennis matches and then we have trash pick up on Friday. And I would say that I could work on it on the bus to wherever we have to go…but I realized that I have two English projects due the 21****st**** (my first day of school) so I really need to focus on those. And, if it weren't for last chapter being such a cliffhanger I would've waited…**


	13. Chapter 13

"What if my momma doesn't wake up…?" Gavin asked. His voice was small, and so full of fear.

"She will," Carl said firmly. "Aunt Marie is tough. She's not going to let a gunshot kill her."

"Yeah, your mom's strong…she'll make it through," Sophia said, her voice was full of hope. She wasn't positive it would happen, how could she be? All they'd seen since this began was dead. Both of Sophia's parents were long gone, and the mother that she'd adopted was in danger of being gone as well.

"Ya don't sound sure," Gavin said. He folded his arms on Marie's bed and rested his head on top of them, willing his mother to open her soft blue eyes again. It hurt so much to see her this way. He was afraid. Not just for her, but for his brother and sister, and for Daryl too. He hadn't seen the aforementioned man in a few hours and he was getting worried about his well being. Gavin only hoped that Daryl wouldn't be the next person to come in here bleeding profusely.

"I'm gonna go find him. He needs to be here," Carl said, seeming to read Gavin's mind. "I know he loves her, and that he wants answers…but this is more important."

"No," Sophia said meekly. Carl had barely heard her as he stood. He turned to look at her confused. "You're still healing. You'll pass out…I don't want you hurt too. I'll go get Daryl." She gave Gavin a soft pat on the back and left the room before Carl could protest. Carl couldn't help but notice the irony in the situation, Sophia looking for Daryl…

"Where's Parker an' Airy?" Gavin asked his cousin.

"I think Elizabeth's watching them. Why?"

"Jus' wonderin'…" Gavin brought his small hand up to Marie's face and pushed her dark hair back a bit. "Please wake up Momma…I miss you," he implored.

"Hopefully Glenn and Maggie will be back soon," Carl tried to reassure the younger boy.

"Will she wake up then?"

"I'm not sure…" the blue eyed boy confessed. They both looked away from Marie when they heard footsteps approaching.

"What happened to yer face?" Gavin asked, crinkling his nose. It would've been considered rude if he wasn't a child but since he was, it was acceptable.

"Tyreese…" Rick said. "Sasha…she's…she's dead. He lost it…all I was gettin' is a blank stare…then he snapped…He hit me."

"How'd she die!?" Gavin asked, scared that it was a repeat occurrence from Marie.

"Walkers…took out a section of the fence. She was out there…" Rick hung his head. This place was quickly turning to hell. He suspected more foul play.

"Should I get Laura…or?" Carl offered. He wasn't sure if his father required medical attention.

"I'll be fine," Rick shrugged and took a seat. "She any better?" Carl shook his head grimly.

"Do you know where Daryl is?"

"No. He wasn't helpin' with the fence either…"

The man laughed darkly at Daryl's accusation for shooting his wife. "I've been cuffed here you dumb redneck!" he held up his arm for good measure. "That asshole came in with handcuffs two days ago!" He laughed even harder while Daryl narrowed his eyes at the waste of space before him. "Plus, I can barely see since you-"

"You brought that on yerself!"

"Whatever, you're not the one in handcuffs," he chuckled. Daryl was starting to think the man was seriously insane.

"Hey dad-" the punk froze upon seeing Daryl standing in the cell. He nearly dropped the rifle he was holding. "Oh shit. What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Ya need to watch yer punk ass mouth," Daryl mumbled to himself. When the boy caught sight of the older man's eyes upon the gun he was holding, he dropped it and ran.

Daryl's suspicions weren't confirmed until that moment. He had wondered if that was the gun that had shot Marie, and when the boy dropped it, he knew it was so. Daryl picked up the rifle with a scope, turned on the safety and ran after the little punk. He hadn't gotten far. Daryl caught up with the boy just in time to see him push some woman out of the way. It was as if this bastard would never learn. So, being as the kid was an asshole anyhow, Daryl took the butt of the gun and hit him in the back of the head with it as soon as he was close enough. Immediately the boy fell to the ground. People stood, watching in horror at what Daryl had just done.

"Bastard shot my wife," he murmured, grabbing the boy's arm before dragging him to an empty cell. He locked the door and went off in search of Rick or somebody. He had to let people know what had happened before he did what he wanted. He couldn't simply kill the boy (like he wished). They were trying to have a normal society and that meant a different course of action would be taken.

"Did ya find 'im?" Gavin asked when Sophia reentered the room. The blonde shook her head and sat next to the dark haired boy. Gavin frowned. Although he looked up when he heard footsteps yet again, but he was quickly disappointed when it was only Bob. He came to the side of Marie's bed and checked on her.

"She may need more blood. You three stay close by," it was certainly an advantage that she had three separate donors. She needed all of the blood that she could get. Although, Bob refused to take more than a pint from Gavin at a time; he was still so young. "She is in a state between a coma and not…" he murmured. "There's no telling what'll happen now."

"Rick!" Daryl called making his way down the hallway. Everybody looked at the sound. They knew that something was up by the sound of him. A moment later the dark haired man came walking it with a rifle.

"Jesus Daryl! Where'd you get that thing?" Rick asked. The gun was rather large and typically nobody carried rifles unless they were on watch.

"Damn kid that shot 'er," he replied. He unloaded the gun and held out one of the bullets. "Can ya tell me if this is what shot 'er?" He asked Bob. The latter made his way over and took the bullet.

"It is," he stated. "But who?"

"'Member that kid that was pickin' on Gavin? The one that I kicked his dad's ass?"

"The kid did this!? Where the hell is he?" Rick was ready to kick some ass too. They had opened up their haven to people and they ruined it.

"Locked up in B. Figured I had to talk to ya, 'fore I went any further."

"Let's talk out here," Rick suggested standing and leading Daryl from the room.

_ Something was wrong. Marie dropped the dish that she was holding. It shattered to pieces on the tile floor. She recognized the place much too well. She looked down at the shattered plate once more and noticed she was wearing a dress. _What the hell is going on?_ She thought to herself. More odd than the fact that she was wearing a dress was that her stomach area was extended slightly. _Oh God! I'm going to murder Daryl!_ She couldn't be pregnant again…_Wait…Where are Parker and Airy?_ She walked into the living room and went up the steps. She opened the first bedroom to her right and found it painted blue with a bed pressed against the far right wall with a spaceship comforter. She moved on to the next room-this time on the left and found it pink with princesses everywhere. _

_ She moved to the door right next to it, a bathroom. There were only two more doors, she opened the one on the left and found there to be a singular, white, wooden crib, yellow walls, a matching rocking chair, and a changing table. She closed that door and opened the room at the end of the hall. A large king size bed, two end table, and a ceiling fan were on the other side. _

What's going on?_ She went to run her fingers through her hair, which was when her hand got caught on her brown locks. She untangled her finger-her ring more specifically. It was a gold band with a singular diamond, along with another gold band after it. All she could think was how much she hated gold jewelry and how she missed her silver spoon ring. _

_ "Darlin', m'home!" _Oh no…It can't be!_ She bit her lip nervously and walked down the steps. _

_ "Mommy!" she heard a little voice say and race to her, hugging her middle. Out of reflex, she hugged the kid back and when the little girl looked up at her, she had light blonde hair and deep brown eyes. _

_ "Ya okay, Darlin'?" Shane asked, unbuttoning his King County police uniform. _

_ "Um…" She looked around nervously. _

_ "James! Whatcha doin'? You're takin' forever!" Shane shouted out the door. _Who's James? Where's Gavin?

_ "Um…Shane…honey…can I talk to you in the kitchen for a minute?"_

_ "Yeah. Zoë, why don't you go get started on your homework, sweetie?" he said to the little girl that had hugged her. _

_ "Yes Daddy!" she saluted, before running upstairs. _

_ "Hey mom," a dark haired boy with equally dark eyes said as he followed the little girl's suit. Marie led Shane into the kitchen. _

_ "What's up?" he asked, pulling the outer part of his uniform off. She took note of the ring on his left ring finger…and let out a small gasp. _

_ "What the hell is going on?" she asked harshly. She was so confused. "Where's Gavin? Daryl? Parker? Airy?"_

_ "Who?" Shane knitted his brow in confusion._

_ "What about the zombies?" _

_ "Were ya watchin' a zombie movie earlier an' fell asleep?" he asked with a sideways grin._

_ "No! And you're dead! This is a dream! I don't even know who the hell those kids are! Where's Gavin?"_

_ "Darlin', you know your own kids. But who's Gavin?"_

_ "He's our son…he's four and he's smarter than me most of the time…"_

_ "No, our son is James, he's eight. Zoë is our daughter and she's six."_

_ "My daughter's name is Airy and she's two weeks old! Plus, I'm 31; we didn't even start dating until I was 26! How can I have an 8 year old?"_

_ "Darlin' you can lie to everyone else 'bout your age, but you're 35. An' maybe ya was jus' dreamin' 'bout our newest edition," he gave her a small smile, playing the calm cop routine on her. He went to touch her stomach but she stepped back. _

_ "You weren't the dad and she was a twin!"_

_ "If I wasn't the dad than who was? Ya been cheatin' on me?" he was still all smiles._

_ "Daryl Dixon was her dad. And I can't cheat on a ghost!" _

_ "Dixon, hm…We arrested a Dixon earlier."_

_ "What was his first name?" she asked hopefully. _

_ "Don't remember…Maybe ya should go lie down or somethin'."_

_ "No. What day did we get married?" That would settle this. Husbands couldn't remember anniversaries, right? That had been what she saw on TV. _

_ "May 4__th__. Ten days 'fore ya had James. Man was your mom pissed at me. Had to let your dress out so much," he marveled at the memory. Which, she had no clue what he was talking about. _

_ "You're not real," she stated. "I'm imagining you. I want Daryl back."_

_ "I swear you do this shit on purpose. Goddamn it Marie, can't we just now argue for one day? Just one? I'll tell ya that's a new one. 'I'm imagining you'. What the fuck? I get it, you're pregnant and you can be bitchy…but Goddamn this is getting redundant. Do you really hate your life so much? I know ya didn't wanna get married and shit, but we had to. You were pregnant-"_

_ "Why are you yelling at me?" she asked. "I didn't ask you to marry me!" she wasn't sure where that had come from. She had fled, moved in with her mom to avoid this situation. _

_ "You didn't have to! You were pregnant! What was I 'possed to do? Let ya raise my kid on your own? What did you expect anyway?" _

_ "You certainly have turned into such an asshole! What about the man I knew? My friend? The one that I could talk to about anything!"_

_ "'Cause you've been a ray of sunshine to live with," he scoffed. "I'm thirty-eight years old; do you think I want to have another kid? No! But I'm gonna get it! And to think, twelve years from now we woulda been fine!"_

_ Marie wiped the tears that were falling down her cheeks. She wasn't sure what was going on. All she knew was everything was wrong and she missed Daryl terribly. He would've never spoken to her in such a way. _

_ "Darlin', I'm-" Shane started to walk closer but Marie looked at him with pure rage._

_ "Don't you dare come near me," she said through clenched teeth. She stomped to the front door and grabbed a set of keys she assumed to be hers. _

_ "Where are ya goin'?"_

_ "Away from you!" she shouted and jumped in a newer style Volkswagen Bug. She drove down to the police station, knowing that there was a Dixon there. She just prayed it was the right one. When she walked in, she took the clipboard from the desk, ignoring the receptionist, signed in, and walked back to the area with the cells. There was only one occupant, being as King County didn't have a lot of crime. "Dixon?" she asked, looking into the cell. All she could see was a silhouette of a man._

_ "That's me, sugar tits. I didn't know this offered such classy hookers. Come right to my cell an' everythin'."_

_ "Merle…Where's Daryl."_

_ "Daryl who?"_

_ "Dixon. Your brother!" _

_ "Ah, now Darylina ain't with us."_

_ "He's dead?" she felt a wave of sadness wash over her. She wanted to fall over and cry._

_ "No, but we are," he opened the cell door, with the hand that she swore was missing. But no, Merle had two hands once more. _

_ "I'm…I'm dead…"_

_ "Not yet. You may die. So yer here…an' yer mind's givin' ya how things coulda ended up."_

_ "Then why isn't Gavin here?" she was even more confused._

_ "Dammit, are ya that dense? He ain't dead! Daryl ain't dead an' yer twins ain't dead! So they ain't here! Deputy Dickhead is, so he is here." _

_ "But why do I…I'm so confused…Are you even real?"_

_ "Ya. Got stuck doin' this so I don' burn in the fiery pits, if ya get my drift."_

_ "What do you have to do?"_

_ "I have to show ya that ya need to let go a whatever guilt ya got fer leavin' with yer kid," he said._

_ "How…?" Deep down, she still felt bad for doing that. But she didn't understand what the point of all of this was. She had pretty much moved on._

_ "Um ya woulda ended up with a shitty marriage to a husband ya don' love with kids neither of ya have time fer 'tween all yer arguin'." _

_ "But I love my kids…I would never do that."_

_ "When yer livin' a life ya don't want ya might think differently…" he shrugged. Marie noted how he didn't act much like himself. He was very different. _

_ "What about the walkers…why aren't they here?"_

_ "'Cause if ya woulda been with yer 'husband' y'all wouldn't a gone to Atlanta, hell none of ya would've made it outa this shithole. He woulda been shot an' killed 'cause ya two were the ones arguin', not yer brother an' his wife."_

_ "So…Are you saying by leaving when I did…I prolonged Shane's life? And my own…?"_

_ "My baby brother's too. If he didn't have anythin' to live for, her woulda given up 'long time 'go."_

_ "Daryl doesn't give up. Now I know that this is some screwed up dream."_

_ "He wouldn't a found that lil' girl an' with out Shane bein' there to lose his mind Rick wouldn't of needed someone else to step up. He woulda gone off 'lone and been long dead."_

_ "You're so full of shit." _

_ "The sooner ya believe me, the sooner we can both move on."_

_ She considered the possibilities. She knew that Shane hadn't really wanted to get married at all…and she knew that she didn't want to spend her whole life in King County. She wanted freedom. "I guess it's possible…"_

_ "That ain't believin'." _

_ "Okay, I believe you. Shane and I would've failed as a marriage. I didn't even have any doubts about Daryl! I still don't understand this! I just want to go back to him and my real family!" _

"Momma!?" Gavin looked at his mother alarmed as she began coughing and then she yelped in pain.

"Marie, can you hear me?" Bob stepped in.

"Fucking hell," she said groggily. Her ribs and her throat hurt like hell.

"Sophia, get me some water," the doctor commanded. The little girl moved over to where there was a jug sitting along with a plastic cup. She handed them to Bob and he poured water before giving it to Marie. She drank it greedily. That dream, or whatever it was, was fucked up. But, she'd wait until later to tell Daryl.

"Thank you," she murmured.

"How are you feeling?"

"Terrible," she replied honestly. "Where's Daryl?" she asked, noticing his absence.

"He went to talk to my dad," Carl said. "I'll go get him." Before she could object or anything, he was up and out of the room.

"Where's your pain?"

"My ribs," she went to touch her side, but he stopped her.

"I advise against that. You'll be hurting more than now.

"Marie? Babe?" Daryl walked into the room, taking cautious steps. She gave him a small smile, despite the pain that she was in.

"Can you c'mere?" she asked. He was still closer to the door than he was to her. He nodded and moved right to her side. He took her hand in his and kissed it, afraid to hurt her further. "Gavin, sweetheart, how long have you been here?"

"All night," he said, tears brimmed his brown eyes. He was just so happy that she was awake. She reached over and touched his face gently. She'd only been out for about a day, but it was a day of hell for her loved ones.

"Carl, Soph, you can come here too," everyone was so distant and she didn't want them away from her, ever. "Where're Parker and Airy?"

"With Elizabeth…had to feed 'em formula," Daryl replied.

"Well I'm sure that Bob needs to talk to me some more," she said, looking at the ex combat medic. "Isn't that right?"

"Yes…if you guys wouldn't mind…" he stated.

"C'mon kids…we can go get the twins," Rick suggested.

"Do ya want me to go too?" Daryl asked.

"I'm fine with you staying," Marie stated. "As long as-"

"That's fine," Bob said. Everyone else made their way out of the room. "I need the two of you to listen very carefully to what I'm going to tell you. Marie, you have two fractured ribs. You need to be very careful to not bump your side at all-it'll slow down the healing process," he started. "Avoid any and all strenuous activity-running, sex, that sort of thing," he sent a pointed look to Daryl. "Try to eat as many food groups as possible-I know options are limited here, but try. You need to also be sure to take deep breaths a few times a day to avoid infection. Come and find me if you develop a fever, a cough, nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain. Same if you begin coughing up blood or you have trouble breathing."

"Understood," Marie said. "How long do I need to be taking it easy for?" she asked.

"The normal for this sort of thing is 3 to 8 weeks. I'll check on you in two. I'll have to take your stitches out in a week."

"Well there went our plans," Marie mumbled. That means they couldn't leave until she was healed.

"S'okay, babe. We'll be a'right," Daryl promised, just happy that she was okay.

"Is that all you need?" she asked Bob. He nodded and left. She had to tell Daryl all about what had happened. "So I had this dream…" she started. "Well I guess it was a dream…but Shane was there…so was Merle…" she went on to explain everything in detail, making sure to include how she was confused and just wanted to be back in the present.

"Had to a been a dream," he said.

"I'm weird…I know," she laughed. "I'm glad to be back in the real world though. Whether there's people eating people or not. I have you," she smiled happily. "I love you."

**AN: That was a long one! I hope y'all liked it! It's to make up for the short ones lately. I hope that dream thing wasn't too weird…I just didn't have much of an idea for this, and I wanted to make it long…so I went with it. **

**I quite honestly don't know when the next chapter will be up. I'm going through a lot of personal stuff and I'm getting a major case of writer's block once I finished this chapter. Plus, I've got another report I need to get done by Wednesday…so much crap to do. Sorry. If you have any ideas, feel free to leave them…**


	14. Chapter 14

"We're all here to talk 'bout what to do with this kid-"

"Jeremy Peters," Elizabeth interjected.

"The asshole that shot Marie," Daryl corrected. He didn't want the boy's name to stick. He didn't deserve a name after nearly killing Marie, who was in bed at the moment, resting, healing. Tyreese was absent as well, still grieving from the loss of his sister.

"I don't think in an actual trial you can put labels on it, technically it's only assumed anyhow," Milton piped.

"It ain't assumed! Caught the little fucker red handed with the Goddamn gun!" Daryl exclaimed.

"And he ran," Rick added. He was completely on Daryl's side with this one. He didn't care that Jeremy was only fourteen, that was old enough to be tried as an adult in Rick's book.

"If we do this, how will it be done?" Michonne asked. They needed to be smart about it. "Are you going to make it quick and painless, or are you going to make him suffer?"

Daryl was taken aback by the question. He wanted nothing more than to make him suffer, but a nagging voice reminded him that it was a child…and then another thought popped into his head. "What if his asshole of a dad put 'im up to it?" he offered.

"The one you beat up?" Maggie asked, she and Glenn had returned with medical supplies two hours earlier. Daryl nodded. "It'd make sense…So where does that leave us?"

"Somebody should talk to the boy," Milton suggested. "Find out the whole truth. Have him write it down or something…" Everybody turned their attention to Rick. He was the only one among them that could have any experience with that sort of thing.

"Y'all are gonna trust me with the guy that shot my little sister?"

"You want justice where justice is due, Rick. I know you. You won't do anything unnecessary…you'll talk to him and find out what really happened. If he did this on his own accord or if his father put him up to it," Elizabeth assured him. Rick looked over to Daryl.

"I trust ya 'lone with 'im, more than I do me."

"Okay. I'll talk to him. We all meet back here before dinner. I'm doing this completely alone. Everyone get to thinking about what we should do either way…"

As everyone dispersed, Milton made his way over to Daryl. So how is Marie doing?" He asked.

"Better. Ain't able to walk on 'er own, but she's on our cell. Jus' need time, I guess."

"I'm glad to hear it. Please don't take anything I said as disagreeing with you. I only want all of the facts. Marie is a very sweet woman and she did not deserve being shot. But, some young boy doesn't deserve to die if he was only a pawn to his father," Milton explained.

"I guess being shot is a Grimes thing," Rick said, catching part of the other men's conversation.

"You were shot as well?" Milton asked.

"At the beginnin' of all of this. Carl was not to long after."

"Wow…bad luck all around."

"It's a good thing we're all the same blood type," Rick gave a weak smile. It was very fortunate that they shared the A positive blood type, Gavin too.

"Do you guys want to go find me a book in the library?" Marie offered Carl, Sophia, and Gavin. She knew that they must be bored simply sitting there. But, they had all refused to leave her side.

"What about the twins?" Carl asked.

"They're asleep. Plus I'm sure that Daryl'll be back any minute now."

"What kind of book do you want, Momma?" Gavin asked.

"Why don't you surprise me?" she offered with a smile.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Carl asked.

"Go on guys. You don't need to keep my company. I know how to be alone." She rolled her eyes at them. With that, the three were off.

Sure enough, a few seconds later, Daryl walked into the cell. "How ya feelin'?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she smiled. "How'd it go?" She hadn't wanted to be a part of what every happened to the kid. She was against killing him, simply because of how young he was. Although she thought that he should be punished in some way.

"Rick's gonna question him. I'm thinkin' maybe his ol' man put him up to it…"

"That's possible," she agreed. "So are you just going to hang out with me until Rick gets finished?"

"I can," he shrugged. "We're gonna meet 'gain 'fore dinner."

"Mm. I sent the kids to find me a book. It's rather boring just sitting here."

"Wish ya didn't have to." She patted the seat next to the bed and he took a seat.

"It's not your fault," she smiled at him softly. "Promise me you won't every shave your facial hair."

"Why?" Daryl asked. He wasn't sure what had compelled her to say that. It seemed rather random.

"I don't know. I was just thinking about how I never liked facial hair…but then I pictured you without it and that would just be weird. Plus…I don't know. It just makes you look like you," she laughed.

"Yer so different now than ya were when we met," he stated, watching her.

"What do you mean?" It was her turn to be confused.

"You used to be quieter. Now yer laughin' a lot…after ya jus' got shot. I'll never understand ya," he smiled.

"Good, it'll keep you interested in me," she grinned.

"Babe…Do ya think I'm not gonna be interested in you?" He was surprised he'd noticed the way she'd said it. She tried to make it sound casual, but he noticed a hint of worry in her tone. If it were anyone but her, he wouldn't have picked up on it.

"It's not like I'm that special, Daryl…" she admitted. "Isn't that what happens when people have been together for so long? I mean…they just get bored…right?"

"Don' know how it usually works, but I ain't ever been this close to anyone. An' I don' see that changin'."

That was only of the many reasons she loved him. His honesty was amazing. Even if he didn't mean to, he was always so sweet. She found it odd that Daryl could be called sweet, but he was.

"Momma, we finded you a book!" Gavin exclaimed, holding up a book.

"Oh did you? What'd you find for me, sweetheart?" Marie asked her son. He came over to her and put a book in her lap. She picked it up and examined the cover carefully. _My Sister's Keeper_. She was rather confused as to why a men's prison would have this book in her library, but she shrugged it off. She hadn't read this one yet, but she had seen it and heard that it was very sad. "Why'd you pick this one?"

They all kind of just shrugged. "What's it about?" Sophia asked, figuring Marie would know.

"Well, I haven't read it, but I know that the younger sister is there to save her older sister's life because she has cancer….People said it was sad."

"We can pick you something else…" Carl offered.

"No, that's okay. I'll read this," she gave them all a kind smile. "Thank you." There was a knock on the outside of the cell door. They all looked towards it, and Carl scoffed when he saw the blonde.

"Marie…" Jenna began. "Can I please talk to you?" She could almost be considered timid, if they hadn't see her in other environments.

"I'm listening," the brunette said coolly, in an even tone.

"Alone maybe?"

Marie sighed. "Kids, can you go somewhere for a few minutes? Please…Ten minutes and y'all can come back." She wouldn't send Daryl away though. He could stay at her side.

"Momma…" Gavin complained.

"Please? You can come sit with me in a little bit. Maybe you can find a book I can read to you?"

"Fine," he sighed. He didn't trust the blonde woman. Not in the least.

"Daryl…would you-"

"He stays," Marie interrupted. "He's gonna find out whatever happens one way or another, so he might as well just sit here."

"Okay," Jenna sighed. She looked down at her hands nervously. "I want to apologize…for everything. I was cruel to you, and it was uncalled for. You are a sweet woman, and you two truly deserve each other. I was a wrong to try and come between that. I guess I just…Daryl was the closest thing to Merle I would ever get…and if I lost him to you…Well, I would continuously be alone. I'm so sorry. And you're clearly the bigger person here, I mean you didn't judge Amanda based on me. And for that, I thank you. Again, I'm so, so sorry."

Marie took a moment to process what the blonde was saying. She was slightly shocked. She would've never thought that in a million years Jenna would apologize. "Honestly," Marie began. She paused, considering her next words. "I don't know if I will every be able to trust you. You _were_ cruel and you could've very well spit Daryl and I up…Had I not been who I am. If I would've assumed…we would've been done. And, I think that was what you were hoping for. Was it not?"

"It was," she admitted guiltily. "That's how most people are…"

"Well not us. I asked him. But, I do appreciate your apology and I will take it into careful consideration."

"Thank you. Daryl, I'm sorry to you too. I shouldn't have done what I did, and now I realize that you _do_ love her. I see why too, she's very sweet."

"Mm," Daryl wasn't sure what to say. He didn't really want to say anything. He too was unsure of Jenna.

"I had a nice long chat with Jeremy, and I talked to his father too," Rick told the group that had reconvened.

"What'd he say?" Daryl asked.

"Just what we thought. It was all his dad's idea…Where do we go from here."

"That boy ain't stayin' here either way."

"We could drive him out like we were goin' to Randall," Glenn suggested.

"It's kinda hard to miss the prison," Maggie replied.

"Think about it…How would he be able to get back in without being see?" Milton offered.

"Dude's got a point," Daryl agreed. It was only because the kid was fourteen that he even hesitated. Kids that young were impressionable. That, and he couldn't imagine if it were Gavin, or any of the kids.

"And what of the dad?" Elizabeth asked.

"We won't have to worry about him anymore. We kill him," Rick stated. He had made the mistake of letting him live the first time. Anybody against that?" Nobody replied. Rick counted that as a yes.

"Tomorrow, then?" Daryl asked. Rick nodded. The former took his leave from the council.

After dinner was over and the children were all in bed, Daryl and Marie laid down together. They'd traded sides of the bed, on account of Marie's rib. It put her at a disadvantage to the twins, but Daryl had been waking to get them.

"We're gonna take the boy out, an' let 'im go," Daryl told her softly.

"Like with Randal?" He nodded. "And if he comes back?"

"Can't get in without bein' seen. An' I figure we'll be long gone by then."

"About that…" she started nervously. Before he could object, she spoke again. "I'm not saying it's the wrong idea…just…What about Carl? I can't just leave him here…"

"Bring 'im."

"And Rick? You know he won't go for that. Hell, I don't even want to tell him!"

"We'll figure somethin' out," Daryl promised.

"Okay," she trusted him wholeheartedly. Marie pressed a kiss to his neck, given that she couldn't reach his lips. As her hand rested on his chest her fingers fiddled with the buttons of his shirt. His chest rumbled in an almost growl.

"Can't do that," he said.

"Why?" she pouted. "I feel fine…" She wasn't too sore.

"Don't ya lie to me," he knew that her side was in pain and she refused to take anything for it, simply because she felt as if someone would have worse pain and need it the limited supplies that they had.

"Daryl, I'm not lying. I'm fine."

"Doctor said two weeks, it's been a day." Usually Daryl wouldn't have listened to the doctor's orders, but he didn't want her hurt worse. Plus, the sooner she was healed, the sooner they could leave.

**AN: I'm truly sorry guys, this chapter was not my best. It was kinda just all over the place…I was pushing to get it done because I've got a really busy week coming up. We have a match on Monday-an hour away, then we have team pictures/practice Tuesday, I start school Wednesday (Ugh) and have a match and this week is just going to be so hectic. I'm not even sure that I'll be able to update Friday/Saturday. Please review, those I will be able to check :). Thanks, sorry again! **


	15. Chapter 15

"Mommy, when's daddy gonna be back?" Gavin asked.

Marie paused for a beat. Initally, she thought that he meant Shane. But then, she realized that Gavin didn't remember his biological father. Daryl, as far as the younger boy was concerned, was his father. "Sweetheart, I'm not sure."

"Soon?" he asked. "I really want him to be back."

"Me too," she agreed. "But he's doing what's best for us." Marie cuddled Parker just a little closer.

"Is it soon yet?" Gavin asked, swinging his feet as he sat on the bed. The brunette laughed softly.

"No sweetheart-"

"Aunt Marie…" Carl said from the door.

"Hm?"

"Um, I'm really sorry for earlier."

_Earlier…_

"Daryl…I don't want you to go…" Marie looked at him imploringly. "It's not safe out there." She wanted him at her side, not our risking his life for a group they'd be leaving. She'd already given him a million and one reasons of why not to go.

"Babe," he began. "I ain't got a choice. I gotta go…" She was finally able to walk, mostly on her own about a week after everything occurred. They'd hopefully leaving in another week.

"Why, Daryl, why?" She hated that she sounded like the bossy wife, but she didn't want to lose him. She wasn't the kind of person to want to restrict her significant other, but this was a whole nother barrel of monkeys.

"C'mere," he pulled her to the side, away from the rest of the group of people that were leaving. "I gotta get the stuff so that we can leave," he whispered. "An'-"

"You're leaving?" Carl asked from behind him. "I knew you'd leave too!" he turned and stormed off.

"Carl, wait!" Marie tried to hurry after him, but her side quickly affected her, and she had to stop after only a few steps.

"Ya okay?" Daryl asked her.

"Go after him…" she said, her breath coming out in huffs. "Please…" Daryl did and caught Carl's arm.

"Get off me!" He said nastily.

"Ya think we're gonna leave ya?" The younger boy nodded. "Well we ain't. But yer dad ain't gonna go…"

"Why-"

"Carl…I don't wanna leave you. You're more than welcome to come…I was going to talk to you later…" Marie said, still breathing heavily. "Do you really think that we'd leave you for no reason…?"

"I…I'm sorry…" Carl said.

_Now…_

"Carl, you apologized earlier," Marie said.

"I know…This is something different. I can't go with you," he stated, looking at his feet. "My dad needs me. Aunt Marie, I love you, but I just can't leave my dad and my sister. I have to stay. They need me."

"Carl! I'll miss ya!" Gavin exclaimed as he ran over and hugged his cousin. "I don't want ya to stay…"

"Carl, I completely respect your decision. But oh my God, I'm gonna miss you!" As soon as Gavin let go of Carl, he made his way to his Aunt and hugged her.

"I'll miss you too!" he exclaimed.

"Where're you goin' that you'll miss her?" Rick asked Carl.

"Me an' mommy an' daddy an' Airy an' Parker are leavin'! Gavin exclaimed. "An' Sophia…" he added.

"Leaving? Where?" Rick asked Marie.

"C'mon Gavin…Let's go find Sophia," Carl suggested, knowing the adults would want to talk.

"Rick, come sit," Marie patted the space by her legs on the bed.

"Why? You're just gonna leave anyway!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands in the hair. "I cannot believe you!"

"Rick-"

"No! You'd leave me, _your brother_, for some guy! What about family?"

"Shut the hell up!" She exclaimed right back. Then, she dropped her voice down to a loud whisper. "The babies are trying to sleep! And Daryl is my family! And if you didn't put us in danger constantly, we wouldn't need to leave!"

"I put you in danger? I'm not the one making the decisions!"

"Whatever, Rick. Just get out of here. I'll let you know when we're leaving." She was done, and beyond pissed. To her knowledge, Rick liked Daryl, and he had the nerve to say what he said? That was a little ridiculous.

Rick hadn't seen that much anger from his sister for a while. He knew it was his fault, and he regretted it right away. It was just that she was his sister and he needed to protect her. The whole thing with her getting shot was just terrible and he blamed himself. If he would've kicked that guy out, like Daryl suggested, she would've been fine. Even if he turned around right then, and started apologizing, Marie would've likely yelled at him more, not that he didn't deserve it. So, he decided to allow her to cool off for a few hours. He could always talk to her later.

"This is Kim, broadcasting on the emergency channel. Anybody that's out there, anybody at all, please…We have space, and plenty of it. Food, shelter, safety. Everything that you need. We just need more man power…we cannot fight off these things alone."

"Kim, what are you doing?" Henry asked his daughter, walking into the office area.

"Trying to get people…" She ran her hand through her dark auburn hair and frowned. "Daddy, we can't let it be just the five of us. We have twenty open bedrooms! We should fill them with capable, trustworthy people."

"And what if they're crazy, hm? What if they try to kill you, or worse. Myself, Andrew, Jacob, and Travis can't protect you forever."

"We can use the rifles," Kim suggested. Andrew, Jacob, and Travis were her brothers, all older. Andrew was the oldest, thirty, Jacob was twenty-seven, and Travis was twenty-three.

"Give me that thing," Henry said. She held out the end to her father and he took it. "If anybody's listening, we're located five miles north-east of Savannah in a large brick house. It's safe here." He returned the device to his daughter. "Only leave it on for another hour. Electricity's limited."

"Did ya hear that?" Daryl asked in disbelief to his counterparts. Bob and Michonne looked like they were in shock. Tyreese, however was another story. He still held that blank stare that he'd worn since they lost Sasha.

"Are we gonna go?" Michonne asked.

"I am," he said determinedly. "In fact, me an' Marie've been plain' on leavin'. Was gonna invite y'all along…"

"You can count me in," Michonne stated.

"Me too," Bob agreed. Still nothing from Tyreese. There was a loud thump on the hood, being as they'd stopped to keep the radio signal, Daryl looked up to find a lone walker. He was read to just hit the gas and go, but he heard another thump off to Michonne's side. _Still manageable,_ he thought. But, walkers, like rabbits, multiplied quickly. One minute there were two, now there was nearly twenty.

"Do you think they're on their way back?" Marie asked Elizabeth later that afternoon.

"Honey, they just left this morning. You can't stress about this," the black haired woman said with an easy smile.

"It's just…I miss him," Marie folded a shirt, careful not to move too quickly. Granted that she couldn't do much, she was put on laundry duty. Which, wasn't too hard, they had machines now, just time consuming. Parker and Airy were with Sophia, Carl, and Gavin across the room.

"I understand."

"Have you seen Rick?" Marie waited a few moments before asking this.

"Yeah. Why's he mad at you."

"_He_ started it. Not _me_. So he has no right to be mad! That bastard!" She set another shirt down onto a fresh pile.

"What happened?" Marie went into what happened earlier-the quick version. "Sounds like this was a big one…" Everybody had seen Rick and Marie fight, this just seemed more extreme than usual to Elizabeth.

"I don't know…He just needs to hold his tongue sometimes. I'm fine until he starts yappin' on about something! He's just so infuriating."

"You realize he probably feels the same about you, right?"

"Whatever. I just wish that Daryl and the others would hurry back."

**AN: It's short, but I'm so tired right now, it's not even funny. And, I had to get it done tonight, so that I could update tomorrow. I will try hard to get the next chapter out soon, and hopefully it's out longer. Y'all's reviews make my day! Please continue with them! **


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: Was there a reason that I didn't get any reviews last chapter? Was it really **_**that bad**_**? I knew it wasn't my best…but wow…So I'm not totally motivated for this one…So it probably won't be very long again, but that's y'all's fault tbh. **

Gavin sniffled as he slid out of bed. He was trying his hardest not to cry. But he couldn't help it. He wiped his wet cheeks, Dug was alert right away. He sat up and licked Gavin's face. The little boy smiled in the slightest bit. "C'mon Dug…let's go to momma's cell," he whispered. The two made their way to the room next door. Gavin could hear sniffling. "Momma," he called. But he couldn't see much in the dark. There were shadows where his brother and sister slept, but he could see one lump under the covers where Daryl normally slept, at which point he frowned. But then he remembered that Daryl wasn't back yet. He crawled up into the bed and shook the lump's shoulder. He heard another sniffle before the figure rolled over to show that it was his mother.

"What's the matter, sweetie?" she asked, looking up at him with red rimmed eyes. Her cheeks were puffy, he noted too. Dug jumped up on the bed and laid at their feet.

"Why 're ya cryin'?" he asked quietly.

"It's nothin'," she promised. "What about you?"

"I haded a bad dream," he pouted.

"C'mere," she opened her arms and he moved into them, hugging his mom tightly. "So what happened?"

"I don't remember…" he said softly.

"How 'bout this? You can sleep in here 'til Daryl comes back? That way I'm not all by myself…and you'll have me if you have a nightmare," he nodded.

"I love ya, momma."

"I love you too," Marie replied.

"Want me to wrap that for you?" Bill asked. Daryl nodded his head. He'd somehow gotten a cut on his arm.

"We gotta get back in the mornin'," he stated, sending a look over to a shivering Tyreese. It wasn't from the fever, at least they didn't think so, he'd lost a lot of blood when they had to chop off his arm. Daryl had decided to try again after the whole Hershel thing, maybe he'd died after they'd gotten rid of the virus.

"We do, and we need to get him conscious long enough to know his blood type so that we can get him a transfusion."

Daryl nodded again and stared off into the distance. Flames danced in front of his face as the fire burned on. He wanted to be back more than anything. But that reminded him of something. As Michonne took a seat next to him he decided now would be the time to bring it up. "What're we gonna do 'bout this 'safe' place."

"Easy, we get back and get the hell out as soon as we can," Michonne replied.

"Who are we going to tell?" Bob asked. "We can't bring everyone…Hell, I wouldn't trust having all of them."

"Only a select few," Michonne supplied.

"Let all the people we don't trust keep the prison?" Bob asked.

Daryl nodded in agreement. He didn't know specifics yet, but he knew that if it was possible, Marie would want Rick to go. He was her brother, after all. They'd want Elizabeth, Jilly, probably Judd and his mom, but he wondered about Jenna and Amanda? Would they be coming? He didn't _really_ trust her, but Amanda was he niece.

"We also need to get on a CB an' try an' communicate with them people, so we know where we're goin', other than jus' Savannah…That's a big city, we don' want an Atlanta repeat," Daryl said, realizing that.

"Good point," Michonne agreed. "When we get back, I'll go out an' find one."

"Man, do you think it'll actually be safe there?" Bob asked. "That'd be nice…Do you think it's another prison…or…" He trailed off.

"Don' know."

"Maybe it'll be a house of someone we all thought was crazy before," Michonne offered. "They got this underground bunker and stuff. Enough canned goods and water to last ten years…"

Marie's eyes opened as soon as the sun was up. Her son was lying close to her with his eyes closed, still peacefully sleeping. She took that moment to run her fingers through his wavy black hair. It was getting long and she'd need to trim it soon. Gavin opened his chocolate brown eyes and looked at his mother.

"Momma, whatcha doin'?" he asked.

"Just thinkin', you can go back to sleep if you want," she offer. He shook his head. "It's early."

"So. What was the reason ya was cryin' last night?" he asked. She hadn't given him a straight answer and he wanted to know.

"I had a bad dream too," she admitted.

"What about?"

"Daryl didn't come back…" She resented the fact that him being gone for a day affected her so much. She _could_ take care of herself and she didn't _need_ anybody to do that for her, he just meant too much for her and it worried her to death for him to be out there with the walkers.

"Aunt Marie," Carl's voice whispered into the cell. Marie looked up at her nephew, and saw that he had a small smile across his features. "They're back," he stated.

Marie was out of bed, dressed and ready to go at lightning speed. Carl kindly offered to wait with the babies so that she could see Daryl. She walked as fast as her rib would let her to the outside. There he was. His dark hair still in his face, but brushed to the side and held there with sweat and such, his ruggedly handsome face was still intact, and he appeared to have all of his limbs. So that, was already good. She hurried across the gravel and he met her in an embrace.

"I missed you," she said with a smile.

"Missed ya too, babe," he agreed, pulling her in for a lip crushing kiss.

**AN: As I believe I said, I'm going through a bit of writer's block for this story, so the chapters are going to be short until I get through that, which hopefully this was the last chapter. I will not update again until I get reviews…Seriously. I'm used to getting quite a few and last chapter I didn't get anyway…I was deeply disappointed to be honest. AND I even updated on a Saturday on purpose! **


	17. Chapter 17

**AN: So, I have the worst luck EVER. I've been like flu like sick, and now I injured my rotator cuff (shoulder blade area) and just wow…That makes typing this difficult but whatever. I always get the stupid injuries lol. **

"I gotta find a CB," Daryl told Marie. She gave him a questioning look. "C'mon." He wasn't going to tell her about what he discovered here. People could hear, and if they caught wind of what he knew, they'd all want to go. She obliged and they went for the garage that the prison had. Thinking about it, he figured one of the trucks that they found would have to have a CB.

"So what happened out there?" she asked as they walked.

"A lot," he admitted. "Damn walkers surrounded us in the car. Tyreese got bit…I had to try," he paused. "We don' know that what happened with Hershel wasn't jus' bad luck, y'know."

"Oh…" She trusted his judgment. "I hope it works this time…I don't want to lose anyone else." He nodded in agreement. They arrived at the garage and they walked to the only semi in the whole garage. It had carried fuel and they had put it in cars as they needed it. But, other than that, they hadn't used it for anything else. They both climbed in and he got the keys from the visor and put them in the ignition. He turned it back and the lights came on. He turned a few knobs on the CB and found what he was looking for.

"Here," he held out the end to Marie. "Say yer lookin' for Kim."

"Why me?" She asked.

"Ya sound less threatenin'. They got a safe place…I want 'em to let us in."

"How'd you hear about this?"

"It was broadcasted on the emergency channel. Said they're somewhere 'round Savannah."

"Okay," she took a deep breath. "This is Marie, I'm looking for Kim…" She wasn't sure exactly what to say. They waited for a response.

Silence.

Suddenly, there was a break in the static. "This is Kim."

"We're looking for safety…Do you have that?"

"This is Henry," the voices changed to someone older and manlier. "It depends. How many are in your group?"

"Um a lot…That depends on how many you can take…"

"Do you have a family?" he asked. These questions were kind of personal, but Marie understood the questioning. Daryl held his hand out to take the end where they spoke. If they were going to have someone intimidating, then Daryl could answer.

"Me, my wife, an' our four kids. Her bother, an' her niece an' nephew." It would take too long for Daryl to explain his relationship with Marie, so calling her his wife was easier.

"Where are y'all?"

"Ya think I'm gonna tell ya that? Ya coul' be dangerous," he stated. He'd some place else if it meant disclosing the location of the prison and possibly getting everyone there killed.

"I want to apologize for him," the previous feminine voice took over. "That was over stepping and we can understand that it's unsafe for you to disclose your location. But we can't trust you guys fully either…"

Right as Daryl pushed the talk button, Gavin pulled the semi door open-with impressive strength. "Momma!" He called. "Daddy! Yer back!" he exclaimed, noticing Daryl, he was of course off topic now.

"Who's that?" the voice replied.

"What's it to you?" Daryl replied, irritated. It was pretty obvious who the little boy was just by what he said.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" Marie asked her son.

"Parker won't stop crying," he said. "Laura told me to come get ya…She thinks maybe it's a fever…"

"Um, you just tell me what you come up with here…" Marie said. She knew that fevers could be dangerous in infants. "I'll go make sure he's okay…"

"Do ya need me too?" Daryl asked. If his son needed him, he'd go. But this was kind of important too…

"No, I've got it…You just take care of this…" She found herself to be surprisingly calm on the outside. She didn't want to unnecessarily worry him. If it was a fever, a dangerous one, then she'd tell him, but otherwise, he could focus on finding them safety.

"I'm here," Marie announced as she walked into the cell block. Sophia was holding Airy, while Laura had Parker. "What's going on."

"Marie," she started. "I don't know how it happened, but he has a fever…He won't stop shivering, and his head is burning up…I wasn't sure what you'd want me to-"

"A cold bath…Right? You're the one that knows about this stuff…Or am I supposed to warm him up?"

"I've been trying to warm him up."

"Cold bath it is," she said, holding her arms out for the baby. "Carl, will you go let Daryl know, but tell him not to worry. Just tell him to try and hurry things up…"

"Where is he?" the freckled face boy asked.

"In the garage. He's in the semi." Carl nodded. She wondered how Gavin had found her, but at this moment, she didn't care. She needed to break Parker's fever. It could be dangerous if she didn't. She held the crying baby close to her, and whispered soothing things to him as she walked towards the showers. "Momma's here…Parker, you're okay, honey. Calm down," she murmured. He was a little quieter.

"How many can ya take?" Daryl had convinced Kim and Henry-her father, that the group was good and they could protect them.

"No more than thirty," Henry replied. "I'll give you better instructions tomorrow at dawn."

"Thank-"

"Daryl…Parker has a fever," Carl said opening the truck door. "That's what it is for sure…Aunt Marie's gonna try and give him a cold shower to break it but…"

"Hol' on. I'm almost done," Daryl told Carl. He knew that it was important and he should be there for Marie. Carl nodded. "I gotta go…My son's got a fever," Daryl explained.

"The four year-old or the baby?"

"The baby," he replied nervously.

"Laura, do we have any antibiotics?"

"None that he could take," she replied.

"What about Tylenol? Motrin?"

"I'll have to check…Let's just hope this breaks his fever…When Bob's done with Tyreese, I'll have him come help you."

"Thank you."

All Marie could do was sit back and watch as her youngest son shivered in the basin full of ice cold water. They didn't actually have a bathtub so she couldn't use that. They had to settle for a deep sink in the laundry room. He couldn't actually sit up anyway, so a bathtub wouldn't have really been beneficial. "You're mommy's tough boy, aren't ya?" She gave him a smile and ran her fingers through his dark brown hair. She only wished that she could simply take him to a doctor, a real doctor, not a combat medic. Sure Bob was great, but he wasn't a local pediatrician. She would never complain though, because she realized how fortunate she was in these times to have someone to treat illnesses at all. Plus, if it weren't for Bob, she'd be dead.

"Momma, is he gonna be okay?" Gavin asked, walking into the laundry room area. He hugged her leg. She reached down and tousled his hair.

"I hope so, honey…You were sick when you were a baby too. You had colic, it wasn't bad like some babies, but you would sometimes cry for no reason at all…"

"Why'd I get that?"

"I don't know…It just happens. The doctor said it was more common in firstborns…So it's just kind of what happens, I guess."

"Will Airy get sick too?"

It was a good question. The two were pretty much attached at the hip, so it was very possible. Marie came up with the best answer that she could. "I hope not."

"How's 'e doin'?" Daryl asked, making his way into the room. His as his boots stepped across the tile, his steps echoed throughout the large, nearly empty-save the rows of washing machines, room.

"You didn't have to leave what you were doing," Marie said. It was easier than answering him. By him getting sick, she felt like a failure. As a mother she was supposed to be able to protect her kids from anything and everything-whether it was things as terrifying as walkers, or things as tiny as germs.

"Was done, anyhow. They're gonna let us in," he didn't let his lips fully make a smile. All of the joy and relief from being able to go somewhere safe was sucked up by all of this.

"That's fantastic! How?" Marie asked, turning to face him, briefly. She returned to Parker promptly.

"Talked to 'im." Daryl had told him about his family and how they were the reason he needed the safe haven, and how he had two very young babies, a four year-old, and a thirteen year-old. He told Henry about their group in general, that they were mostly good people trying to survive. There were lots of kids that needed protected.

"I'm glad…Did they tell you where it's at?" Marie decided against prying on what he'd told Henry specifically. It didn't matter. As long as they were going to be safe, she didn't care.

"Gonna contact 'im at dawn."

"Good. Gavin, sweetheart, will you go find me a towel, please? I think he's been in here long enough…I can try to warm him up on my own."

"Yes, momma." Gavin didn't mind doing things for his mother. He loved her and she was always doing what was best for everyone. She couldn't do wrong in his eyes. He just worried about the conversation she and Daryl had just had. Did it mean that they were leaving? If they were was it going to be _just_ their family…or? He was confused and worried. He didn't wasn't to leave. He wanted to stay here with Sophia and Carl…And Beth. He knew that his 'family' was his mother, Daryl, Parker, Airy, and Sophia-well technically speaking it was only his mother, Parker, and Airy, but he'd come to know his family to be everyone at the prison. He counted on each of them to do their part and keep each other safe. Families were there for each other, that's what the prison group was…They couldn't leave any of that behind as far as he was concerned.

Gavin found a towel-as his mother had requested and brought it back to her. She thanked him and wrapped Parker up before hugging him to her. "How many did they say that they'd take?" she asked Daryl.

"No more than thirty," he replied. They all began the trek back to their cell block. "Which means we've got some pickin' to do…We can't take everybody."

"We knew that before though. Remember, we didn't _want _to take everybody…That was our reason for wanting to leave in the first place."

"'Course I 'member. Jus' who do we take…'Cause we're gonna leave lots a people defenseless…"

"I don't know…" she was being completely honest. The prison was safe…to an extent. But now that it came time to leave, and to actually pick people to leave with her, Marie realized what a huge burden this would be. What would they do, have a random lottery? Or would she and Daryl get to choose?

There were laws to both plans, what if they _did _do the lottery type thing and people that they were trying to avoid came? Then, that would defeat the purpose. And if Daryl and Marie chose…and people found out, they could be like hunted down by the other people. It seemed like an extreme thought, but it was an excuse not to simply say that she didn't want to be selfish and keep all of that on her conscience.

The best thing to do would be to talk to Daryl about it, she decided. He would know what to do, she hoped so anyway because if she didn't, it would take much longer to get to their safety; she kind of missed when she was only worried about their family leaving. There was a lot less stress that way. And, with Parker being ill, he needed antibiotics and rest. For all Marie knew, it was something to do with the air quality inside the prison. No matter what, they needed to get out of that large, concrete death trap. She wouldn't die inside those walls and neither would her family. She wanted to leave at the soonest available time.

**AN: It was longer on the bright side. I hope y'all liked the latest installment. I prepared a list of people that would go with Daryl and Marie, and it only comes up to twenty-nine. So, if someone wants to create an OC, male of female and kind of send me a profile thing. Age, gender, height, hair/eye color, previous job, name, and a back story. Don't feel obligated, I can do so myself, but if you want to it's kind of just out there :). I'll pick which ever one I like best. Thanks! Review!**


	18. Chapter 18

f-1 "I'm glad we're doing this," Marie said. She couldn't believe that they were finally leaving the prison. They'd been on the road for a little over an hour and there wasn't really much with them. They had a few bags and Daryl's motorcycle in the bed of the truck. Parker, Airy, and Sophia were in the back seat. A while ago somebody had come across car seats for the aforementioned babies, and they were both sleeping. Gavin was sitting by the window of the front seat while Marie took the middle and Daryl drove.

"Let's jus' hope it don't bite us in the ass," Daryl mumbled. He didn't want to leave yet. Everything wasn't set up and they hadn't even really talked to anyone about who would go yet…Sure they'd made a list and gave it to Judd so that when they called over the CB the rest of the group could leave. But he wasn't sure if that would work. He just didn't want to leave the _whole_ group.

"Have some confidence," Marie gave him a soft smile. In the car behind them was Maggie, Glenn, Beth, and Carl. They'd decided that they wanted out now. Sure Carl had Rick and Judith…But he didn't want to stay at the prison any longer either. Plus, it would only be two or three days. Four tops.

Gavin found himself staring out the window as the white line on the side of the road flew past. It looked more like the line was moving rather than the car because it was going so fast. He hated being in the car for so long. He only hoped that they'd get there quickly. And even more than that, he hoped that it would be safe. It was funny how much that word meant to him now. He hadn't even known what it meant before this, but now safety was everything.

"Will we be there soon?" Gavin asked his mother.

"Hopefully," Marie gave him a kind smile. She wasn't sure, but she didn't want to worry him either. "Why don't you go to sleep?" she offered.

"I ain't sleepy," he said, shaking his head.

"Okay, I don't know what to tell you, sweetheart. It'll be worth it when we get there."

"I just don't get why it takes so long!" he complained.

"Everything takes time, patience is key."

Hours later, the truck was a completely different scene. Marie was driving, Gavin was in the back sleeping next to the babies, Daryl was by the window sleeping and Sophia was in the middle. She was wide awake and keeping Marie company.

"How do you feel about all of this?" Marie asked her younger counterpart quietly.

Sophia only shrugged. "As long as I'm around the people that care about me, I don't care where we are." She said with a small smile after giving it a minute's thought. Marie smiled at this.

"Good, very good." She kissed Sophia's blonde hair and returned to looking at the road. "I never thought in a million years things would turn out the way they are," Marie admitted. "I mean not just the whole zombie apocalypse thing in general-but the fact that more often than not, I find myself being thankful to have met the people I have because of it. I wouldn't have this incredible family of people that I've adopted to be my own…Does that make any since."

Sophia nodded. She looked up at the woman she had come to love as a parent. "I love my mom and that won't change…But I am happy to have you and Daryl…and Gavin and the babies…And Carl…" She trailed off after a moment. Sophia hate to admit it, but she was happier in this world. Her mommy didn't have to suffer through her father beating her up all of the time. Carol was truly in a better place. And, Sophia liked to think that she'd be happy that Daryl and Marie were doing what they could to raise her.

"Speaking of you and Carl," Marie grinned. She deemed it best to direct the conversation towards a lighter subject. She found that being on such a heavy subject-like the meaning of life, or if there is a higher being that created them, was tiresome and could take a lot out of a person. "What's goin' on there, hm?"

"Nothing…" Sophia blushed. She tried her hardest to hide it, but Marie didn't miss a thing.

"Mm hm, whatever." She rolled her eyes.

"Well…I mean we were just friends…But then we were talking…And he said that if I was his girlfriend he could protect me better…Like how Daryl protects you or how Glenn protects Maggie…I didn't know what to say…I'd never had a boyfriend before…"

Sophia's shyness was something Marie found absolutely adorable. "It's normal to feel uneasy about having a boyfriend," Marie mused. "You'll probably feel uneasy about every boyfriend…It's just your brain over thinking things. Everybody has that problem. You always think about irrational possibilities. You simply need to take a step back, take a deep breath, and go where your heart is."

"Wow…" Sophia even could tell that those words were deep and meaningful somehow. It was one of those moments when you know that you just learned a valuable life lesson and you could feel it. Sophia knew that what Marie just told her would be helpful in other situations too.

"Before you ask, no I didn't come up with that on my own. That was the speech my father gave me when I was fifteen or sixteen. I was deciding whether or not to go off to some dance school. It would've been an honor to attend, but my heart was in King County…Needless to say, I didn't want to go. And I don't regret it a bit."

"Didn't you always wonder if life would've been different for you?"

"Sure, but I am grateful for how things turned out. I have three beautiful children, a man that I love with all my heart-and who loves me back, and I've got you and Carl too. I'm not saying that whether you and Carl are boyfriend and girlfriend or not will impact you whole lives-it could, but it's unlikely. So just follow your heart."

Marie realized that they'd gotten back to a heavy subject and that she was staring to sound like one of those creepy TV parents, like the one from the Brady Bunch or like the dad from Full House.

The sudden sound of a car horn pulled Marie out of her thoughts and Daryl from his sleep. Parker began to whine. He was alert right away. Marie pulled the car over and tended to Parker first. Daryl, without a word got out of the truck and went back to see what Maggie and Glenn needed. "What's the matter sweetheart?" Marie asked the baby. She unbuckled him from the car seat and cradled him in her arms. He continued to whine while she kissed his head. He was slightly warm, Marie noticed. His fever was back. "Aw, my poor little boy." Before they left, Laura had given him some of the little medicine they had, for that she was grateful, but it had worn off, and they were still an hour out for their destination. Plus, she didn't know if they'd even have medicine for him.

A knock to her window caused Marie to jump. Upon seeing Daryl's handsome face, she breathed a sigh of relief and rolled down the aforementioned window. "Car's shot," he sighed.

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused. She continued to hold the crying child, silently praying that he didn't wake Gavin and Airy.

"Thing started just smokin'. Glenn's lookin' at it…Gonna delay us a while." Like most parents, they'd learned to speak over their children. It didn't mean they didn't love the kids, it was just that he was going to cry no matter what, and they had things to do.

"Great," she sighed. "Can't we just leave it? We all pile in here somehow. We've gotta get Parker there…His fever's back…"

"Y'know we won't fit," Daryl stated. "Six of us can hardly fit, let 'lone ten."

"I'll hold Parker, put his car seat in the back. Gavin can sit on my lap, Sophia can Carl up front next to me-you drive, and Beth, Maggie, and Glenn sit in the back. Simple," she surprised herself at being able to work that out so quickly.

"An' the car? We jus' leave it forever?"

"No, we've gotta go back in a few days anyhow. We siphon the gas from it and put it in here. It'll be fine, trust me." They were going to have to stop and add gas from the cans soon enough anyway.

"It needs oil…the thing's bone dry," Glenn told the two when he came up to the window. "I saw a gas station a mile back…there could be some there."

"That's true…" Daryl said. He looked to Marie for her input. He knew that she'd have something to add and no matter what it was, he wanted to hear it. Marie would tell it like it was, and that would be the most useful thing.

"We can't wait that long," Marie pushed. "Parker's only gonna get worse. We've got to get there ASAP."

"What do you suggest?" Glenn looked to the woman holding the baby. She quickly explained the seating arrangement.

"We've got two hours to get there. I don't want to be driving in the dark. I just want to get there, worry about the car later."

"Okay," Glenn agreed. He wasn't happy about being crammed together, but he could live with it. "Let's get a move on."

Space was even tighter than they'd expected. But all of the annoyance of being trapped in the car disappeared when they pulled up to the wrought iron gate. It was a good twelve feet high with stone pillars on either side. There was even a box where a security guard would've sat, now it was just a glass box with blood spatter on either side of the glass. There were wrought iron fences-reaching about ten feet high all round the property. _No wonder they'd been safe,_ Marie thought. Unlike chain-link fences, something couldn't break through that. If they did, it would take a whole lot more than it did with the chain-link.

"Stay here," Daryl warned everyone. He stepped out of the truck and walked up to the gate. There was a metal chain on the outside with a pad lock that you put a three digit code into. He knew it, Kim had told him what it was the day earlier. He pushed the gate open and watched as the truck pulled forward. Undoubtedly, Marie was behind the wheel. He locked the gate behind them, and reclaimed the seat by Marie in the truck.

As they began to drive forward, Marie noticed the large, glass house sitting atop the hill. The windows seemed to be the one-sided glass type. She couldn't see inside, they were tented. She looked up to the roof, flat to where there was a lip over the edge. There was a gun on said ledge. She grabbed Daryl's arm quickly. "Daryl…there's a sniper on the roof…" she whispers, so she didn't alarm everyone else.

He looked up and saw it too. He swallowed hard, fearing the worst. What if he'd messed this up for his family? What if he'd signed their death certificate himself? He didn't know what he'd do if that were the case.

"Who's that?" Maggie had seen her before anybody else. They all watched as the long haired blonde girl walked from the front doors. She was considered a 'girl' because she couldn't have been more than twenty.

"That must be Kim…" Daryl thought out loud. He put the truck in park and hesitantly stepped out. He told Marie and everyone else to stay put for a moment. If this was a trap, it was better he die then any of them.

"Kim Kelly," the blonde said, offering her hand as she saw the dark-haired man approach.

**AN: Okay, got a few things I want to go over. **

**A.) I've never seen the Brady Bunch in my life, it was before my time. However, I did watch Full House, with I think that was technically before my time too, but whatever. So, I hope I was kind of accurate there? **

**B.) If you read my other stories, Everything Must Come to an End (Daryl/OC), in particular, I said that I have a shoulder injury and I'll be out of tennis for a week (at the least) so since I have more time on my hands, updates should be more frequent.**

**C.) Even though I said updates SHOULD be more frequent, I can't promise anything. I will TRY to be writing more, but if my teachers decided to load me down with homework and the medication I was prescribed makes me tired enough to where I nap when I get home each day, I can't promise anything. **

**D.) And finally, thank you ****Tori D**,** I love the character idea and she'll be popping up in the near future (hopefully). I don't plan on changing her name or anything, I love the back story. Maybe it's just me, but I love a flawed character, and she seems like she'd be flawed (in a good way) so thank you very much!**

***Bonus Points if you can tell me what TV show the name Kim Kelly is from* **

**Somebody asked how long it takes to write one of my normal length chapters…An hour or two maybe? It's not that long. When I have a good idea it goes really fast.**


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: So it's Thursday as I'm writing this. I really should be doing my homework right now…But I swear if I even look at it I will go insane. I noticed an issue with a previously posted chapter. In chapter 15 I said that Kim had dark auburn hair. She has blonde. I'm sorry, that's what happens when I don't focus on one thing at a time…So sorry. I'll update the other chapter and that'll be fixed.**

"I'm Marie," she introduced herself to Kim. Daryl had motioned for everyone to join him in meeting the blonde.

"Oh, you're Daryl's wife." She said, like someone had told her that before. Marie's face actually turned slightly pink. She sent a look to him, at which point he found the trees rather interesting.

"Yeah, I guess I am," she said with the smallest of smiles. She was actually kind of touched that he would refer to her as _his wife_.

"And these are your children?" Marie nodded. She took in the faces of the three young ones. Parker first, then Airy, Gavin, and finally Sophia. She couldn't help but think how they didn't look like their parents much-other than Parker that was.

"Are you nice?" Gavin asked.

"I am very nice. What's your name?"

"Gavin."

"It's nice to meet you, Gavin. I'm Kim. I'm happy that you will be staying with us."

He gave her a hesitant look and moved closer to his mother.

"Well hello!" A group of four guys began walking out of the large house. There was two with blonde hair, one with black, and one with light brown. The one with black hair was the one that had said it. "I'm Andrew," he smiled happily. He was in his early to mid twenties and probably the perfect example of tall, dark, and handsome.

The group from the prison introduced themselves. The older looking one with blonde hair introduced himself to be Henry, the younger looking one was Travis, and the brown haired one was Jacob. "Why don't we show y'all the inside?" Henry suggested with a kind smile.

"That would be nice," Maggie smiled at them. Everyone seemed happy and calm…It was nice.

Henry led them into the fortress of a house. It had high ceilings, and the walls were glass. Marie didn't like the sight of that, not one bit. "Don't worry, those windows are made to withstand a rocket launcher, or up to 7 tons of weight on the other side," Henry assured her, noticing her discomfort. "Plus, most of our time is spent on the lower floors."

"On the lower floors?" Sophia asked, sounding much like a child.

"Yes. It's safer below ground. If there were to be a hurricane or something-We are close to the ocean, we'd still be safe."

"It makes sense," Daryl said.

"Don't worry, Soph, it won't be so bad."

"Remember the CDC?" she asked coolly.

"I do but-"

"This isn't the CDC," Carl reminded her. "I don't think that they'll trap us down here…The doors work here…And I don't think it'll blow up, will it?"

"Um…No," Kim said, her brow knitted. "What happened at the CDC."

"We went there-Seeking refuge, y'know?" Glenn started. "It was great, they had hot showers and non-bland food…Well that lasted a whole twelve hours and then the place was going to self-destruct. We barely got out."

Kim auditable gasped. "Oh my God…That's terrible," she said.

"How did you find out about this?" Andrew asked.

"The doctor that was there. He was the only one left," Marie explained. "He wasn't even going to tell us…"

"Okay guys, let's get off this topic," Maggie suggested. "We're supposed to be celebrating."

"She's right," Henry agreed. "So which one of you two lovely couples would like first pick on bedrooms?"

"Daryl and Marie should get it," Glenn said. "Without them, we wouldn't be here."

"I agree."

"You guys don't-" Marie started to protest.

"They're right," Beth agreed. "You saved mine and Maggie's lives. Plus, you got us here. Take it," she smiled sweetly.

"Okay, thank you," Marie said.

"Right this way," Henry led them to the empty eleven bedrooms. "One room has a bunch of different bunk beds that you kids may like." Henry opened that room first, it was painted white with about five sets of bunk beds all around the room. They weren't like the bunks at the prison, they had comfortable looking mattresses and the comforters weren't thread bare.

"What do you think, Gavin? Sophia? Carl? Wanna sleep in here?" Marie offered.

"What if I get scared?" Gavin asked.

"Yer always welcome in our room," Daryl assured him.

"Okay, I guess so."

They moved on to looking at the different other bedrooms. Most of them were a simple dresser with a queen sized bed, but when they walked into this one, Marie fell in love. The walls were a deep blue and reminded her of the ocean, the bed seemed larger than the rest and it had a blue and green patterned bedspread. The dresser was oak, and she noticed another door within the room. "May I?" she asked, gesturing to the door. Henry nodded and she walked across the room and opened it. Inside, there was a decent sized bathroom, it had his and hers sinks, a shower with the wavy glass that you couldn't see through around it, and a rather large bathtub.

It wasn't just Marie who was in awe, Daryl liked it a lot too. It would be so nice to be able to have this much privacy…And especially their own bathroom. "This the one ya want?" He asked her. She nodded, unable to form words.

"All right," Henry agreed. But then Marie thought of something.

"Wait, where do you five sleep?" she asked.

"There's a separate hallway, we have our own custom rooms," Jacob answered.

"Custom bedrooms?" Beth asked.

"Well yeah, my uncle built this house…He had planned on there being more of our family but…" Travis trailed off.

"So now we have room for you all," Andrew injected.

"We really do appreciate all of this," Marie said sincerely. "And we thoroughly plan to pull our weight around here."

Dinner was a rather interesting affair. While the group had been getting settled in their rooms, Henry had dug out two cribs and a whole mess of baby stuff. Marie was over the moon when she saw it. Rather than setting Parker and Airy up somewhere distant from her, the cribs were right inside she and Daryl's room. At dinner, the twins were asleep, so Marie started using the baby monitors for the first time.

Parker wasn't fully better still, but his fever had disappeared while they'd been there-they gave him some child's Tylenol and a warm bath. Even though Marie had the baby monitor, she didn't trust leaving him alone for too long and would check on him every ten minutes. As she sat down from her most frequent check Daryl sent her a half smirk. "What?" she asked.

"Ya need to relax an keep yer ass in that seat," he smirked a little wider. This caused Marie to laugh out loud. The rest of the people hadn't heard their conversation, so naturally they turned and stared.

"You're telling-" She paused to laugh some more. "_You're_ telling _me_ to relax. That's really funny Daryl!" He rolled his eyes, silently loving the sound of her real and natural laughter, but suddenly, it stopped. She clutched her side quickly.

"Ya okay?" he asked tentatively. She nodded, biting her lip. "Yer rib a'right?"

"It's fine," she said. Her voice was tight, she was clearly holding back the pain.

"Ya okay, Momma?" Gavin asked from across the table, his mouth full of macaroni and cheese.

"I'm fine sweetheart. I still just need to take it easy."

"What happened?" Henry asked, summoning words when the others could not.

"I was shot," she admitted.

"'S'part a the reason we had to get outa there," Daryl said. "Things weren't to safe 'round there."

"I'm okay now though," she assured everyone. They were all staring at her with worried faces. "I'm okay, really-" A small whine came through the baby monitor. "I'll be-"

"Sittin' right there," Daryl said for her. "I got this one."

"What if-"

"I got it," he assured her.

"Well, I think it may be time for something more interesting to drink," Travis announce. He stood from the table and walked into the kitchen area. The newcomers noticed the small grin Jacob and Andrew exchanged.

Travis walked back in a minute later with three bottles. "I've got wine and I've got whiskey. Who wants what?"

"Travis," Henry warned.

"C'mon dad," the blonde complained. "We're celebrating." With a deep sigh, Henry agreed.

"Marie, what do you want?" He was starting with the newbies to be polite.

"I can't drink," she said. "But I know Daryl would die for some of that whiskey over there," she smiled softly.

"This whiskey? Hm, I don't know 'bout that," Andrew sent a teasing look to her along with a wink.

Marie simply rolled her eyes. Sure he was cute, for a kid. He may've been around twenty-five, but that was kid status to her now, besides, she had Daryl. She couldn't even really look at anybody else. A moment later the aforementioned redneck made a reappearance. "Which one was it?" Marie asked, referring to the baby. Usually she could tell their cries apart, but over the monitor, it sounded much different.

"Airy. Jus' needed burped." He hadn't noticed the whiskey yet, a glass of the dark amber colored liquid was being passed over to Marie.

"Well ain't you just a good daddy?" she grinned. "Here," she held out the glass to him.

"This what I think it is?" he asked, looking up at the younger man with the liquor in hand.

"Mm hm," Travis said. Daryl grinned in thanks and drank before reclaiming his seat.

"Well, before y'all get too deep into your drinks, I must know how everyone is with weapons," Henry told them. "Guns, who can shoot them?" Everyone but Gavin raised their hands. He was impressed. "Knives, and I don't mean throwing. I mean the close up, hand to hand thing." Everyone. "Bows?" Daryl and Marie. "Which kind."

"Crossbow," they both replied.

"Both of you?" Andrew asked with a half smile. It was kind of nice to see how those two really were. He could quite honestly tell just by looking at them. They were really something. After they nodded, he decided to actually ask what he wanted to ask. "Did you meet before or after the apocalypse." Whether he wanted to admit it or not, Andrew enjoyed learning couple's back stories.

"After," Marie said.

"Wow." That was even more surprising.

The night continued on, pretty uneventfully. Everyone was simply thankful to be out of harm's way for a while.

**AN: I don't know how I feel about this chapter…But anyway, I'm kinda runnin' a little low on ideas. I'm just afraid that it's going to get boring for some of you…**

**If you haven't read it yet, I have another Daryl/OC story posted…I've probably already said this…But I really like working on that one. So if this one slows down a bit more, that'll be why and my shoulder is better, so I'm going back to tennis this week-well I'm going to practice Monday and if it doesn't hurt after, I'll be back for the next two weeks.**

**On a separate note…I'm supposed to come up with some really good movies to order. Does anybody know any really good ones with Norman Reedus? Other suggestions are welcome too. I know that I can google this, but I'd rather hear that "oh, that's a really good movie" first hand. Thanks Please review!**


	20. Chapter 20

**AN: My flash drive like died on me so I don't have it…and I lost all of my last chapter…I got it online and all but I can't read the last part to know where I am right now. So, I'm just gonna wing it…**

"Don't leave…" Marie pleaded. They lay in bed inside their room as the twins slept in cribs on the other side.

"Y'know I have to," Daryl said. "Don't ya want everybody else here?"

"No," she said. "I just don't want to have to worry about you…" They couldn't reach the rest of their group on the CB, so they had to send someone back to get them.

"Ya don't have to. I'll be fine. Always am."

"Daryl you know you can't ask me not to worry about you. I love you too much…"

"I'll be fine," he said again. "I'll be gone a day, two tops."

"That's longer than you think…"

"Won't be too bad, you'll be fine."

"Daryl…It just scares me, y'know? I mean it's hard, you leaving…"

"Ya think it ain't hard for me to leave? I jus' wanna be with ya an' the kids, not goin' back out there, into danger…"

"I know…I'm sorry, I'm not making it any easier."

"Yer not," he agreed.

Marie looked over at him, meeting his eyes. She pressed a loving kiss to his lips. "But you'll be back, you always come back…" she said, speaking positively.

"Mm. Usually yer with me though…"

"And I can't be this time. I have to stay with the children…I've made that mistake in the past…"

"An' ya were safe anyway," it was his turn to give her a sweet kiss.

"Only thanks to you." She deepened the kiss and he pulled her closer. They enjoyed having their own room with four _whole_ walls. The prison was nice, but this was like a _real_ room. As much as Marie wanted to lie there all day with him, she knew that she couldn't. He had to get going before it got too light out. "We should probably go get something to eat…"

"Guess so," he sighed.

"Although, you want to take a shower before you leave, don't you?" She asked with a suggestive smile.

"Wasn't plannin' on it."

"Okay, I guess I'll just have to shower by myself…" Marie feigned annoyance. It was only then that he understood what she was saying.

"These pancakes are awesome," Marie said to Kim.

"Thank you, I put a little bit of ginger ale in them, to make them sweeter," the blonde replied.

"Mm mm mm!" Gavin exclaimed, taking a large bite. "These are the best pancakes I've ever had!" He shouted, his mouth full. Everyone couldn't help but laugh.

"Gavin, honey, don't talk with your mouth full," Marie couldn't even say it with a straight face, but she deemed it necessary to say. She was a mother, after all.

"Why?" he asked, his mouth still full.

"It's not polite."

"I wish you could make pancakes like these," he said to his mother, after he swallowed his food.

"Do ya know how to cook?" Daryl wanted to ask because he felt like that was something he _should_ know. He wouldn't care either way, it was just one of those things.

"Yes! I'm a good cook, actually!" she replied. "In fact, when you come back-as long as you don't mind, Kim, I want to make dinner."

"I don't mind," Kim said. Daryl only nodded.

When the time came for Daryl to leave, Gavin, Sophia, and even Carl gave him a teary goodbye down in the bunker area. The babies were still asleep, and he kissed each of their foreheads. Marie followed him up to ground level and walked him out. As the couple embraced, Glenn walked out with a backpack on his back and a gun slung on his shoulder.

"I'm going with you," Glenn said.

"No. Yer stayin' here," Daryl said right away.

"Why? Why should you have to go back all by yourself? You have kids to worry about, Daryl!"

"I know. Yer stayin' here though. I'm takin' my bike, truck takes too much gas."

"I can't let you leave alone. Marie, he needs to come back to you and the children."

"Glenn," Marie started, turning to him. "Your offer is sweet and all, but Daryl knows what he's doing, okay?" She had confidence in him and if he wanted Glenn to stay, then she wouldn't oppose that. It was the least she could do.

"Be careful," he said, hanging his head. Glenn wanted nothing more than to do his best to help Daryl. Thinking about it now, without Daryl, he knew that he'd be dead right now. He wouldn't have Maggie or anything. Plus, Daryl had children to protect, Glenn didn't.

"I will."

Daryl started to turn to leave, but Marie caught his arm. She had one more thing to give him. "Here," she took her hair down from the ponytail she had it in and slipped the hair tie on his wrist. "I love you," she said.

"Love ya too," he smiled and pressed a kiss to her lips before going to his bike.

"So…" Andrew started casually. Marie was leaning against the counter, eating a carrot, the baby monitor hooked attached to her waist.

"I'm gonna to tell you right now, and I'm only gonna tell you once. I'm happy with Daryl, and I have no interest in cheating on him, flirting or other wise. I'm not saying that that's what you're up to, but just don't start, alright?"

"Okay," he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. He wouldn't ever try to 'steal' her from Daryl, it had just been so long since he'd seen a woman that he wasn't related to, much less a beautiful one.

"We can be friends, I'm completely fine with that."

"Friends then," he agreed.

"Good. Besides, I'd be too old for you anyhow," she laughed and threw away the end of the carrot.

"Doubtful," he scoffed. "I'm twenty-five."

She only rolled her eyes. "Thirty-one. Nice try, kid."

"Momma, I think Carl's upset…" Gavin said, walking into the kitchen area.

"Did he say why?" Marie questioned. The young boy only shook his head. "Okay, why don't you go explore or something, I'm going to go check on him…" If Carl was upset, he'd want to talk to Marie alone, not with an audience. She walked down the hall and into the children's room. Carl was laying on the top bunk staring at the ceiling. "Hey," she said, climbing up there and sitting at the foot. "What's up?" He shook his head. "Don't wanna talk, hm? Are you worried about your dad and sister?"

"Sorta…."

"Are you worried about Daryl?"

"Him too."

"Everything's gonna be alright, honey." She assured him.

"How do you know?"

"Daryl told me so."

"And you're going to listen to _everything_ he tells you?" Carl looked at her skeptically.

"He hasn't lied to me yet, why wouldn't I trust his word? He's determined, and I know he'll be back."

**AN: I'm sorry it was short…I have to kind of rush. I have no clue when I'll get to update if I don't do it today, the internet I usually use to update is down, so I'm posting this from the library and since I can't drive, I kind of have to leave whenever my mom says, so I had to cut it short. Please review anyway!**


	21. Chapter 21

_Everything was dark. Not a single shape could be made out in the pitch blackness. That was all it was. There wasn__'__t any emotion attached to it, it was just darkness. The longer they stood there, the tighter his chest got. He couldn__'__t breathe. It felt like everything was closing in around him and suffocating him. Then, the sudden feeling of water filling his lungs came about. No matter how much he coughed, no matter what he did, he felt as though he would die. He would never leave this-_

"Gavin, sweetheart," Marie shook her son softly and made him open his eyes. The chocolate brown orbs looked up at her with shock and fear before he wrapped his arms around her ever so tightly. "What was it about?" She knew that he had a nightmare; he was thrashing around and whimpering in his sleep.

"I couldn't get any air…I was dyin', momma."

"You're okay," she assured him, kissing his head sweetly. That frightened her. She hated nightmares, mostly because when she was a kid, she remembered having them all of the time. She didn't want the same thing to happen to Gavin.

He was only in her bed because he'd already had a nightmare and had come in crying. "How'd I get in here?" he asked with a sniffle. By that statement, she knew that he'd forgotten that he'd come in, she'd guessed as much anyway.

"You came in earlier," she explained. She looked over at the clock on her nightstand. The digital numbers glowed red. She hated the color red, but beggars couldn't be choosers, she supposed."You can go back to sleep, it's only five."

"AT NIGHT!?" he exclaimed. Marie chuckled softly and kissed his head.

"No, you silly goose. In the morning."

"Oh," he said with a laugh, in sudden realization. "Is anybody else awake?"

Before Marie could answer, one of the twins began to whine. Gavin's nightmare probably woke them, Marie assumed. She stood from the bed and made her way over to the cribs. Airy was the one crying. Gently, she picked up her baby and bounced her softly. "You can go check, if you want," she offered her son.

"Okay," he hurried off out of the room. Marie took a seat on the edge of the bed and tried to soothe her baby girl.

"You don't look like me at all," Marie said to the girl with a smile, once the baby had settled a bit.

Not having a clue what Marie had said, Airy smiled, her green eyes lighting up as she did so. "You're gorgeous all the same though…You've got your dad's nose." Marie found herself missing Daryl with that statement. She just wanted him to come home as quickly as possible.

It had been two days. Marie was incredibly worried. She'd been spending most of the time on the roof. The Georgia sun shone brightly on her and she was developing a farmer's tan. She didn't care. All she wanted was everyone to come back safely. She hated the fact that they'd been dumb enough to split up. Looking back now, they all should've come at once. What if once they'd left it had been anarchy at the prison? What if all of her friends and family that were still there were dead? What if who ever the leader of this society of brutes had killed Daryl when he came back? There were endless possibilities and she was tired of it. If they weren't back by tomorrow, she was going. That was the end of it. But then she thought of her children…She couldn't go. She couldn't. They needed her too much. She loved Daryl, but the children came first.

Marie looked down at the baby monitor on her hip, making sure that it was still on. She hadn't heard anything from the babies in quite some time so she had to make sure they were okay.

"You're still up here?" She nearly jumped out of her skin upon hearing someone behind her. She turned quickly and sighed in relief when it was only Andrew.

"Yeah…I can't sit still," she lied. He knew she was worried about her group, but she needed to look semi-tough.

"Mm hmm. I found something, when I was going though the stuff we looted in the beginning. I though you might like to have it…" he held out a green iPod nano, still in its case.

"Thank you, but I don't have any music to put on it."

"I already did. I brought my computer," he said bashfully.

"I can't accept this," she said instead.

"Why not?"

"I don't want to give you the wrong idea about me."

"What's that supposed to mean? I already get that you're stubborn as hell and like to 'take care of yourself'. And I know that you just want to be friends. This is friendly gesture. That's it."

"Okay," she finally agreed. "Thank you." Accepting a gift could give him the idea that she was the kind of girl that would flirt with some other guy while she was in a committed relationship. "I really do appreciate this."

"I'm glad. I hope you like 3oh!3…" She sent him a look, a confused one. She wondered how he knew that!

"I love 3-" The sound of tires on gravel grabbed her attention. She leaned over the ledge of the roof and caught a glimpse of vehicles pulling up. She darted down the steps and ran out the front door. As Daryl stepped off of his bike, Marie ran to him. He hugged her tightly and kissed her hair over and over again. He missed her much more than he thought.

The barking of a dog interrupted their happy reunion. They both simply laughed. Then they heard Gavin and the rest of the group come out. They watched as Gavin hugged the dog happily, yet to notice Daryl's presence.

"Dug! I missed you so much!" Gavin exclaimed. Dug happily licked his face.

"More green beans?" Marie offered Rick, who had taken the seat next to her at dinner. Daryl was on her opposite side and Gavin was across from her.

"No thank you," he replied, giving her a smile.

"Wine?" Andrew offered, walking into the room. Marie concluded that he was the keeper of the alcohol. He was _always_ the one to go get it.

Everyone joyously called yes! Andrew smiled and began passing three separate bottles around the table. When it went from Rick to Marie, she passed it right on to Daryl.

"Why aren't you drinking?" Rick questioned.

"If I drink alcohol, so will the babies," she reasoned. Daryl passed the wine on too. He hated that fruity stuff.

"I'm really happy you're back," Marie told Daryl lowly, resting her hand on his thigh. He looked over at her, trying to hide his smile. He'd missed seeing her so much.

"Happy to be back," he agreed. "An' you," he pointed to Gavin across the table. "Yer gonna have to sleep in yer bed 'gain."

"I was sleeping in my bed," Gavin said innocently, trying not to break a smile.

"Sure ya were," Daryl said playfully.

"This turkey is fantastic," Judd said from the far end of the table. "Who made it?"

"Me and Marie," Kim said.

"Told you I could cook," Marie murmured to Daryl.

"I would like to make a toast to these amazing people for taking us in," Rick said, raising his glass. "All of this is so great."

Everyone else raised their glass and thanked them.

After dinner, Jenna made her way over to Marie.

"Marie," Jenna said quietly. "Is there a place we can talk…In private?" Marie looked at the older blonde hesitantly. She didn't know if she could trust Jenna in the least.

"We can go in my room, but we have to keep our voices down," the younger brunette finally agreed. That way, the babies were there and someone was bound to hear them crying even if Jenna decided to go crazy. Jenna nodded and followed the other woman down the hall to the blue room. Once inside the blonde ran her hands through her hair.

"I'm so, so, so sorry for everything. I feel so horrible for being mean to you. You didn't deserve any of that…You're an amazing person and I should've seen that…"

"Where is all of this coming from?"

"Judd…He told me that you're the one that made the list for who could come…And if you're so amazing that you can allow me to come-after everything I've done to you, I am truly not worthy of knowing someone like you."

Marie was quite shocked, to say the least. She hadn't expected that. "Um…Okay…" She was too shocked to make a coherent response. "I appreciate that." That was the best that it was going to get. "I need some air," she said, fiddling with her spoon ring. Jenna nodded and the two left the room. Marie went up to the roof, just as she did earlier that day. She liked it up there. Sometimes being above ground just made her happy. It could be so stuffy underground. She walked over to the edge and rested her hands on the cold concrete. She looked up at the stars shining above her. It was such a nice night, not too chilly, not too warm. Perfect. The skies were clear enough that she could see every single last shimmering star in the world above.

She suddenly felt the warm embrace of someone behind her. She knew who it was right away, just by his scent, just by the way he held her closely. "Daryl," she breathed outwardly.

"Whatcha doin' up here all 'lone?" he asked her. "Hmm?"

"I just needed some air…How'd you know I was up here?"

"Andrew. Tol' me the whole time I was gone, ya spent most of yer time up here."

"I did." She replied, no knowing what more to say.

"What did Jenna want earlier?"

"She apologized…I was shocked…I mean I wasn't at all prepared for it."

"M'not surprised. She ain't a bad person…I think stuff jus' kinda got to her…"

"And seeing you without your brother stirred it up?" Daryl nodded. "I could see that being true. I forgave her either way…I still can't trust her though…"

**AN: Okay, I****'****m not sure if I****'****ll continue this story much longer. I****'****m pretty much out of ideas for this. I****'****m planning to skip forward a year next chapter. Maybe I****'****ll get more ideas then. Please feel free to give me ideas. I will be online for most of the night, feel free to PM me, and if anybody knows any really great, worthwhile stories to read, I****'****d love to hear about those too. It****'****s been awhile since I****'****ve been on for reading purposes. Please review. **


	22. Chapter 22

*One Year Later*

"Daryl, can you get Parker for me?" Marie asked Daryl. She could hear laughing from the living room area but her youngest son needed a bath.

"Mm hm," he agreed before disappearing into the other room.

"No! Daddy! No! No baff time!" Parker cried.

"Blame yer momma," Daryl told the boy that resembled him so much.

"Div Airy a baff!" Parker whaled.

"She's getting one next," Marie said, coming to get her son from Daryl.

"Her first!" For being a little over a year, his speech was good. Usually they could figure out exactly what he was saying-Airy too.

"You first," Marie countered. "Now c'mon, it won't be so bad. Get undressed and get in the tub," she set him down in the bathroom and waited for him to do it himself.

It was so…odd. Parker was indeed a mini-Daryl. His eyes were an exact replica, his hair the same dark brown color, and every other feature looked dead on him. It would be so weird seeing him twenty years from now. He would look even more like Daryl then.

"I got this," Daryl said. Marie turned around and saw him in the doorway with his arms crossed. "I know Gavin was wantin' to spend some time with ya."

"Okay," Marie agreed. She gave him a quick peck on the lips before going to the living room area. They were still in the same underground area as they had been a year ago, but it was more like home now. Some of the people had moved upstairs, but Daryl and Marie appreciated the safety that the underground life provided them with.

"Momma! Come play with us!" Gavin exclaimed. He was five now, and the most adorable thing ever. He was as ornery as ever though, he ran rambunctiously around with Dug as his partner in crime. They played pranks on everyone, but they loved him to pieces anyway.

"What are you guys playing?" Carl, Sophia-both of them fifteen now, sat with Gavin, Jilly (also five), Judith (nearly two now), Airy, and Dug. Dug barked in appreciation for the game, even though Marie guessed that he was just running around causing trouble.

"Goosey goosey duck!" Gavin exclaimed proudly.

"Duck, duck, goose," Carl clarified.

"Oo, I love that game," Marie said. She sat down in the circle and it was Judith's turn to duck people. It shocked Marie how much the little girl looked like her father-and she didn't mean Rick either. It was clear that Judith and Gavin shared a parent. They had the same dark eyes and the same coal black hair. They were beautiful children, of course, but it was just strange…She knew that it was painful for Rick to look at Judith still, which Marie understood. She knew that it was hard for him to think about the fact that Lori had Shane's baby. Even though he didn't care for her when she died…it was still a constant reminder of her infidelity.

"Duck," Judith began with Gavin's head, "duck," Sophia's, "duck," Carl's, "goose! Aunt Marie, you're the goose!" Marie had to admit that she was adorable though. She had a high pitched voice and was so funny.

"Oh I am," Marie said. "Are you sure?"

"Yes get up! Come get me!"

"If you say so!" Marie stood up and feigned running after her, but the black haired girl slid into her spot. "Darn it! It looks like I have to pick on somebody!" She went around ducking until she landed on Gavin. "Goose!" she exclaimed.

"Momma I'm gonna catch you!"

"Nuh uh," Marie called back as they ran around the circle. She slid into his spot quickly.

Their game went on until it was time for Airy's bath. Marie got up and took her daughter-who was a lot less grumpy when it came to bathing, into the bathroom. Parker ran out of the room rambunctiously-and naked. Daryl was chasing after him.

"Dammit Parker! Put yer towel back on!" he called. Marie bit her lip, hesitating to go after him. The only thing she worried about would be if Judith or Jilly happened to see him naked. But, Daryl returned moments later with the boy who he had wrapped in a white towel. "Yer son's a pain in my neck," he said to Marie.

"Um, honey," she said. "He looks and acts just like _you_ don't be blamin' that on me!"

"Mm, but he acts more like you. He don't like to hear his clothes neither," he had a smirk on his face that Marie wanted to slap on-in the most affectionate way of course.

"Inappropriate!" she called, getting Airy into the bath.

Airy was a lot like Sophia. She was very soft spoken and sweet. She surely didn't fit in with the rest of their rambunctious family! It was like Parker had gotten all of the loud and hyper where Airy lacked all of it. Marie loved all of her kids equally-of course-but she really wondered how they had all fit into the same family…Like Gavin for example. He was such a sweet kid, but he could be rotten as a cavity sometimes! But, Parker was always hyper and ready to run around, although in his own way he was the most loving child ever. He was a mommy's boy-like Gavin. But Airy, Airy was so different from her brothers. She was so calm and relaxed. And she was a daddy's girl. She would go see him first in certain situations. Marie's feelings weren't hurt by this, not in the least. She loved that her children could count on either parent and that Daryl got to share in the love.

**AN: Really short. I'm sorry. I haven't been motivated…and I've been preparing for homecoming which is today... I have to wear a dress :(. But, I may get to go horse back riding before :) which is exciting and I get to hang out with my friends! Maybe I can gain some motivation back if I get some reviews :) That would be so great! Thanks y'all! Please review! **


	23. Chapter 23

"Oh my God," Marie said suddenly, causing Daryl to look over at her as they lay in their bed.

"What?" he asked.

"Do you know how long it's been since I went hunting with you?" He shrugged, although it was dark and she couldn't see him do so, she knew that was what he did. He always shrugged. The only light in the room was the glow of the night light in the bathroom. "A long damn time! You're going tomorrow, aren't you?"

"Yeah," he replied. He didn't know how he felt about her going out there anymore. Before he loved having her at his side, but now it seemed like the world out there was far too dangerous for the mother of his children. He could admit that they were reckless in the past, and he wanted to stop that now.

"Can I go with you? I think that my bow's gonna get cobwebs," she joked.

"Babe, I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why?" Marie asked, knitting her brows.

"I don't want ya gettin' hurt. 'S still dangerous out there. I love ya, but yer safer here."

"Daryl, I'm not made of porcelain. I've been out there before. I can handle myself-as you've seen. Why now? Why do you now want me to stay here?"

"'Cause Marie, we were dumb 'fore. I ain't jus' goin' huntin' tomorrow. Me an' Andrew are gonna do some scavengin'."

"Because I've never done that before," Marie said stubbornly. She moved closer to him and used her arms to hold her up as she looked into his eyes. "Daryl, please just let me come with you. I'm getting stir crazy being here."

"Tol' ya I don' think 's a good idea."

"Daryl…" she leaned in and pressed a kiss on his jaw and then his neck.

"Ya think that's gonna work?"

"Maybe," she mumbled, pressing more kisses on his neck. She swung a leg over him and continued.

"Babe, I ain't-"

"Shh…" her lips moved down to his collar bone and nipped gently, all the while her fingers worked at the buttons on his shirt. His hand came up and gripped hers.

"This ain't workin'. Yer not usin' sex to get what ya want," he said.

"I'm not. Can't I just want to make love to the man that I love?" she asked, batting her eyelashes.

"We ain't playin' this game 'gain," he said. She had one this before. She wasn't getting her way so she used the fact that he could hardly keep his hands off her at any given time to her advantage and kissed him and took it pretty far before stopping abruptly until he promised that she could have her way. Well he wasn't falling for it this time!

"Daryl," she whined. She didn't like playing the whiney girl card, but it annoyed the hell out of him and it sometimes worked.

"Nope. That shit ain't helpin' ya get yer way."

"Okay, how's this. Either you let me go this time _with_ you, or I go on the next run _without_ you and you stay here with Parker and Airy."

"How 'bout ya ain't goin' nowhere period."

"And since when did you become my dictator?" she asked. She knew he was trying to protect her, but she wasn't having this whole 'I-Tarzan-you-Jane-I-man-you-woman.-Do-what-I-say. '

"You be good while Mommy's gone, okay?" Marie said, kissing Parker's cheek. "You too, Airy."

"Where ya goin'?" Airy asked.

"Me and Daddy are going to go find supplies, stuff we need."

"Long time?"

"No, we won't be gone a long time, honey. We'll be back before you know it." When Parker and Airy toddled back to what they were doing Marie moved over to Gavin.

"Be safe, okay, mom?"

"Of course, honey," Marie promised. "I always am," she gave him a grin.

"I know. It's jus' scary." Every time he spoke, she could hear his slight southern twang come though. _Thanks, Daryl,_ she thought with a laugh. Come to think of it, all of her children sounded like Daryl. They didn't take anything after her, it seemed like. They didn't look like her to speak like her.

"Yeah, I know. I love you."

"I love you too," he said, hugging her.

Marie told Sophia and Carl goodbye before walking to the car that she, Daryl, and Andrew would be taking. She hoped that her children would be okay. Before she could get in the car, she heard a familiar voice.

"Aunt Marie, Uncle Daryl," she didn't notice until that moment that Daryl was about to get in the car too.

"What is it, Carl?" Marie asked.

"When you come back…do you think that you could teach me how to drive?" he asked.

"Me too," Sophia said.

Daryl and Marie shared a look. It was Rick's job to teach Carl…But Sophia should know…

"Maybe," Daryl said. "We'll talk 'bout it when we come back," he promised.

"My dad won't do it," Carl said. "I don't understand him sometimes."

"Carl, you'd think that by now you'd get that your father is one of the most confusing people ever. But if he won't, I'll teach you," she said.

"Yeah right," Daryl laughed.

"What?" she asked.

"You can't drive."

"Bull shit, I can too."

"When? When's the last time ya've drove?"

She actually had to think about that one…Come to think of it…Had he ever seen her drive? Hm…maybe not…That was kind of odd.

"Fine, I'll prove it now. I'm driving," Marie said, in hope of proving a point.

"No way. Yer gonna wreck us," he said. "I ain't gonna get killed 'cause yer stubborn as hell an' wanna prove a point. Show me some other time."

"Keys," she held her hand out expectantly.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"Yes."

"Thank you," she said. He made a face. "You really thought that was going to work? I ain't Daffy Duck. I'm certainly Bugs, Daffy," she grinned.

"Nah, I'm Bugs, yer Daffy." One of the older movies/tv shows that they had in the collection was Looney Toones and Airy loved it so much. They always had to watch it.

"You're both Daffy," Andrew said, taking the keys from Daryl's hand.

"Hey!" They both protested.

"Get your feathery asses in the car," he told them jokingly. Marie rolled her eyes and laughed. Daryl sent him a glare and was laughing-secretly so-on the inside. He still had an appearance to keep up. I mean after all, he wasn't the guy that walked around carrying a baby in a pink blanket or anything. Andy had seen Daryl with the children and Andy didn't find Daryl scary after that, it was just appearances.

"So what are we doing first?" Marie asked. "Hunting or scavenging?"

"Scavenging," Daryl said. "We gotta go into a town area, that way we'll have the daylight." They all accepted that reply and went on. Marie sat in the backseat just thinking.

"Do either of you ever think about the structure we had in the past? I mean like the government and the president?" Andrew asked Daryl and Marie.

The couple shared a look and shook their heads. "No," they admitted.

"Really? I mean you'd think that they'd have to know _something_ in Washington…I just want to figure this damn thing out. We are safe and all _for now_ but…There'll be a time when we have to be on the run again, that's how this thing works. When you feel like you're sitting pretty-so to speak-this damn world knocks you down again…" Daryl and Marie know the truth behind his words. They'd experienced it several times…The camp outside Atlanta, the farm, the prison…It all fell to pieces before too long. It was just a matter of when…They'd been lucky for a year. Parker and Airy weren't infants anymore, Gavin was learning to shoot-a crossbow and a gun. The crossbow was still a bit hard for him to reload, but give it some time and he'll be able to shoot anything.

"So what are we scavenging for?" Marie wanted to change the subject. She didn't want to think about having to take her kids out on the road again. She loved their little cozy safe haven. The children were happy…they were safe.

"The hunting and camping store in town, the thrift shop, and the old bakery-I figure the flour and stuff may be still good, if it was stored right," Andrew said.

**AN: I'm a terrible, awful person, I know. I should've updated forever ago…I've just lost my muse. Slowly, with the new season and my newest story "In a World Belonging to the Dead" I'm starting to get it back. But, if nobody's interested anymore (I understand) I need to know. So, if you want me to continue, I need reviews for this chapter and I need them ASAP. I have a number in my head and I want any person that's interested in me continuing to review here, thanks. **


End file.
